The Wolf Warrior and Hathor's Daughter: The Tale Begins
by AlphaNeph1321
Summary: A semi-crossover between Teen Wolf and the original Mummy universe with some OC twists that are bound to make things spicy and some 3.000 year old dead guys fried! If you think that's something you'll enjoy then by all means hop on and enjoy the ride!
1. Full Summary A Letter from the Author

**Full Summary: The story of Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun is a tragedy that disappeared from the records for protection reasons. The story of Amana-neith and Adom-nour is also a tragedy that turned out becoming one of Egypt's greatest myths. In 1926, both stories come back to life for the sake of fate's plans. Rick O'Connel and his enigmatic companion, Derek Hale, are rescued from being hanged by the Carnahan sisters, Evelyn and Alethea, and, in return, agree to lead them to the ancient city of Hammunaptra for their archaeological dig. Along the way, secrets are being revealed and an ancient evil awakes, ready to destroy them all. So now the two unlikely matches must work together in order to dispose of this ancient curse that has befallen upon them. And as Derek and Alethea explore their newly developed connection, they discover that they might as well be more involved in this mess than they originally thought.**

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Hey, everyone!**

 **Soooo...this is kind of a complicated business. It started out as an idea for an RP between me and a really good friend of mine but then it expanded into one big, colossal idea which inspired and thrilled me to no end. Long story short, I just had to write it down into an actual story and share it with the world.**

 **I'd like to think of this story as an homage to two of my favorite things/fandoms in the world, Teen Wolf and the original Mummy universe. It revolves around my two most beloved Teen Wolf – but also in general – characters and the two OCs that serve as their love interests in all of my RPs and it shows what would happen if they were canon characters in the Mummy universe. It's a story that truly means a lot to me and I hope that you'll fall in love with it too, same as me. So fasten your seat-belts and enjoy the ride, if you choose to stay for the rest of it of course.**

 **For those of you that only know me through my Lion King fanfiction, I know for a fact that this is gonna come off as a big surprise to most of you since this story is a far cry from what I had previously published on this site. Also, it's gonna be WAAAAAAAYYYYY more mature than my previous fanfic, so if that's something that you don't like either skip the chapters with the mature warning or simply don't read it at all. I respect your views and opinions and the last thing I want is to unknowingly trigger or offender a reader. I appreciate each and every single one of you, guys, way too much for that!**

 **P.S. This story is also available on my wattpad account under the exact same name, AlphaNeph1321, in case you want to check it out through a different platform and further support my work. There are no differences between the two except from the name of the platform, nonetheless is the exact same story.**

 **P.S.#2 Reviews, notes and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome in my book. They keep me motivated to write, help me evolve and become a better author but also make my day a lot better, so feel free to drop one whenever you wanna.**

 **So with that being said, please enjoy your read!**


	2. Prologue

This is the story of a love forbidden, of betrayal and death. A tale written upon coffins and unnamed tombstones. It speaks of curses, revenge and an ancient evil that is waiting to be reawakened for it to consume the world that once imprisoned it.

Underneath the ageless Egyptian sand, lies a force most foul and terrible. It is Imhotep, high priest of Pharaoh Seti the First.

Three thousand years ago, he made the mistake of falling in love with Anck-su-Namun, the Pharaoh's mistress, the one who was not meant to be touched by any other man. The two lovers were so desperate to be together that they decided to assassinate the Pharaoh and seek refuge in the afterlife. Anck-su-Namun died by her own hand in order to escape being captured by the king's guards right in front of Imhotep's devastated eyes. In order to save both his beloved and himself, Imhotep headed to Hammunaptra, the City of the Dead, where he used the Black Book of the Dead to bring Anck-su-Nammun's spirit back from the realm of Anubis. But fate simply would not stand with the sinners. The king's guards found them and interrupted the ritual, thus sending the restless spirit back to where it belonged now.

Their arrest meant something worse than death; it meant damnation, to both this life and the next. Whilst his priests had to face the horrific fate of being mummified alive, Imhotep was meant to receive the most vicious of all punishments. For committing a sacrilege as great as loving Anck-su-Namun and killing the Pharaoh himself, he was sentenced to endure the curse of Hom Dai: his tongue was cut out and he was buried alive with a swarm of flesh-eating scarabs. The ritual cursed him to become an immortal walking plague if he were ever to be resurrected.

He became a prisoner of oblivion and shadow, lingering in the darkness and unholiness of his actions and his sarcophagus. His heavy stone cage was sealed and buried underneath layers upon layers of sand and dirt, protected by the most powerful caretaker of secrets in all of Egypt – the desert. The Medjai warriors, the descendants of the royal guard, were tasked with watching over his burial site and making sure that no one would ever dare step foot inside the accursed tomb, aided by the always watchful eyes of Anubis.

So, Imhotep stayed hidden and trapped behind a secure lock and key. And as his flesh would rot away, the memory of him and his doomed love would fade away as well. The sandstorms of time covered Hammunaptra and swept the presence of him away until he was nothing more than a forgotten nightmare – for most people, at least.

And he was to remain that way. For if he was ever to be released, the powers that made him immortal would allow him to unleash a wave of destruction and death upon the Earth. He would re-create the ten plagues that once drowned Egypt in sorrow and suffering and would bring a new age of horrors for all humanity.

But alongside Imhotep's and Anck-su-Namun's story, another one was being written at the time. It's the story of another pair of star-crossed lovers who were cruelly separated by fate's plans. Unlike the high priest and the Pharaoh's mistress, though, said pair did not meddle with darkness nor was it on the side of evil forces and treacherous schemes. They were loyal servants of both the Gods and the Pharaoh, souls drenched in purity and light, a love built upon starlight and silent flames. They were on the side of good, moral and ethical beings who meant to do the right thing...and for that they were robbed of their lives and any chance they had at ever being together in peace.

It's a tragedy that speaks of a love that made even Gods weep. The notorious myth of the Wolf Warrior and the Daughter of Hathor; the first was the leader of the now lost thirteenth Medjai tribe and the other was the high priestess of Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of love, beauty and – in certain occasions – war. In contrast with Imhotep and Anck-su-Nammun, it's a story that did not wither away into ashes and dust. It was never forgotten, but instead came to be one of Egyptian culture's greatest legends! It went down in history and run for the ages.

A story that is about to be unfolded once more for the sake of fate. A story that will begin again in order to fix the wrongs that were committed back then. History will repeat itself, old foes will be revived and long lost lovers will be re-united in the hopes of closing the circle and ending the curse once and for all.


	3. Where The Strings of Fate Begin

**Hammunaptra, 1923**

Another day, another war to be fought. This is how it has always been for humans, years and years of endless fighting in the name of meaningless purposes and empty reasons given to the weak of mind for the sake of motivation. An endless power play between those in charge that leads to nothing but rivers of blood and demolished ethics.

For centuries, armies of men and Medjai have fought together and against each other in numerous occasions on the very spot that serves as a burial site for Imhotep. The sands that hide the secrets of Hammunaptra have been painted red more times than they should. Bootprints, pieces of steal and the corpses of fallen soldiers have tainted the once holy grounds of this place. It's an unpleasant situation, but that's just human nature.

* * *

This is one of the occasions where Medjai and foreign troupers are enemies. The current opposite parties that are about to defile anew the sacred ground of the once thriving City of the Dead are the French Foreign Legion and the Medjai tribe which is lead by Ardeth Bay. Horses are galloping, battle cries are echoing and everyone's nerves are on high alert as the black wave of Medjai warriors is heading towards the City of Hammunpatra where the legionnaires are taking their positions in order to defeat themselves.

* * *

It's the dawn of a new day, and with it, a whole new series of _shitty_ mishaps falls upon their heads! Or that's just how acclaimed American legionnaire Derek Hale has been feeling lately. To the young soldier it seems like everything has been going to hell lately. First their troupe was lost in the desert and then this weird nomads army started attacking them for no reason whatsoever except from the fact that they had the so-called _audacity_ to camp in this pile of ruins they came across late last night. It wasn't like they had any other choice, this big mess of sand and broken pieces of boulders was the only appropriate place to build a camp within a three mile radius and at the time they were cold, hungry and tired to their very bones. They wouldn't have made it any further nor would they'd survived the night if they had moved. But these guys weren't to be reasoned with. They struck Derek from the very beginning as the kind who doesn't lose much time with pointless chit chat and goes straight to business. Which in this case meant coming at them full speed on top of war steeds with killer sharp machetes that had their names written upon them.

He liked these guys. Quiet, non-nonsenses, cut-throat hard-asses, like him. He felt a strange connection to this odd tribe that looked like nothing he had ever encountered in all of his travels. And if they weren't trying to kill him right now he might as well have seriously considered joining them! But right now he was more concerned about keeping his head out of their swords' way.

That guy has the best of luck, right?

"This is the last time I'm ever joining you in yet another catastrophe of a mission!" Derek growls exasperatingly as he loads his gun and takes his rehearsed defensive position along with the rest of the men on his right and left, forming a perfectly straight line of armed guns aiming at the horizon that has been painted black by the Medjai blocking it like a fog. "This is exactly what you said the four previous times!" Rick reminds him in a quip. _Snarky bastard_ , Derek thinks and rolls his eyes exaggeratively at his best friend's sarcastic commentary for all seasons – which he may or may not have taken up after Derek himself, but that's just minor details. Rick O'Connell, a fellow America originated legionnaire and Derek Hale's best – okay, _only_ – friend in the world. The two men had been together since they were children, they grew up at the same Cairo orphanage and they both shared a tendency for getting into unwanted trouble or nasty fights that could lead to either glory or jail time – Derek more commonly than Rick – along with a mutual love for any kind of lethal weapon. Once they both reached adulthood, they decided to take these unique characteristics of theirs and use them for something useful. So they joined the army, started going on campaigns and fighting someone else's war for the sake of doing something worth while with their lives and abilities. But they weren't fighting for any flag, nation or royal bloodline. They were fighting for something much greater and much more valuable than that. Wherever they'd go, they'd always fight for each other. They were blood-brothers, they'd do anything to protect each other.

The closer the soldiers got to the positioned soldiers, the higher the stakes got. Derek could sense the adrenaline levels reaching new heights, he could taste the bitterness of nervousness and agitation that his fellow soldiers were radiating, he could smell their heat-induced sweat and every ounce of their fear. Goddamn it, he could even hear their teeth clicking madly, their knees shaking and their hands trembling against the barrel of their guns as they tried really hard to not shit their pants! He could feel the galloping of the horses' hooves shaking the ground like a freaking earthquake as if it was his own blood pumping furiously through his veins. His senses were more active and heightened when he was in battle mode. It was one of the many 'pros' that his own personal nature had to provide. It was also one of the many aspects of himself that he had kept hidden from Rick and everyone else – if he could help it.

The horse-riders reached the middle of the road. About 20 yards remained and they would be staring at these machetes face to face. The leader of their troupe eventually decided that he couldn't take the heat so he got the hell out of the kitchen as soon as possible. Rick and Derek turned around at the same time to see him hauling ass and riding as fast as his horse's legs could carry him at the opposite direction. "You just got promoted" Beni, Rick's newly acquired delinquent of a sidekick, commented in that odd accent of his that sounded as if he had broken off all of his teeth and had done a poor job at re-gluing them back together. Derek rolled his eyes and let out a dismissing sound at the sound of Beni's voice. He didn't like him for more reasons than one. He looked, _smelled_ and sounded like a weasel so of course he wasn't trust-worthy, but good luck to anyone who would try and talk sense into Rick's thick head.

The three men resumed their positions, aiming their guns at the riders coming on strong, and Rick shouted an order at the rest of the soldiers in their mother tongue for them to hold steady and aim straight ahead, taking the reins and acting like the team leader he was now assigned to be.

The distance lessened by another 5 yards. "Hold steady!" Rick shouted loud enough to be heard over the wind and racing horses. "You're with me on this, right?" he asked, referring to both Beni and Derek. "Whether I want it or not, I'm with you till the end, brother" said Derek.

"Oh your strength gives me strength" says Beni. _Bullshit_ , thinks Derek. That guy is full of it! He is nothing but a sleazy, coward rodent who's five seconds away from abandoning the team in order to save his own skinny ass. 3...2...1...And there he goes right now, forsaking his gun on the ground and taking off towards the opposite direction, screeching for his fellow chicken to wait for him. "Beni! Beni come back here right now!" Rick calls after him but of course to no avail. "Told ya we shouldn't trust that slimey half-assing waste of space" said Derek in that half-cocky / half-lecturing tone. "Yeah, yeah you can gloat all you want afterwards! For now let's just try and not get killed, how about that?" his friend caught him off but Derek can smell the embarrassment in his chemo-signals. He will give him hell later, he decides, for now he is right, they have other priorities.

10 yards remaining. "Steady!" Rick shouts once again. Derek's finger is firmly placed upon the trigger of the gun, his sharp eye carefully positioned behind the rifle's viewfinder.

5 yards. "Steady!" another shout came from Rick and this time a drop of sweat rolled down Derek's brow too.

"Steady!" and with those words, the oh so characteristic sound of guns being fired filled the barren valley of sand and stone, creating an ugly cacophony to which Derek was so used to by now that he honestly considered it to be as mundane as the chirping of birds upon spring-bloomed trees.

Rick and Derek took their shots at the same time. By now their actions had almost become synchronized as if choreographed and rehearsed for this exact reason, thanks to the numerous times they had found themselves in situations like this one; against an overwhelming amount of enemies with only their weapons and each other to save their skins – basically way over their heads! So they had learned to work well with their firearms as well as with each other. Considering his excellent reflexes and sharp as these guys' knives sight, it came as no surprise that Derek was a top notch shooter. Or at least, it came as no surprise to him. Anyone else who had ever seen him in action during a gun fight had thought of him as some sort of god!

It was one of the main reasons why Derek enjoyed this type of life he and Rick and chosen for themselves. A simple man with his abilities was nothing more than a freak of nature, a mistake God made and refused to take back, a monster, a beast...or at least those were the words plenty of people had chosen in order to describe him for the biggest part of his life. It didn't matter who they were, they always thought the same. The other kids at the orphanage, too prude and religious folks from their dump of an old neighborhood, shitdicks whose asses had kicked during an angry bar fight one night at Alexandria, priests, nurses, fellow soldiers they had encountered during some mission...The moment they would see what he can do, the moment they'd notice his usually forest green eyes turn into their animalistic azure, they would either scorn and ridicule him as a freak or run for their lives screaming bloody Satan! Which is why he never told Rick about his special abilities and has always been very careful with using them when he is around – even on the battlefield, he avoids using them if there's even the slightest chance of Rick seeing him. He is the only friend he has in the world, the only family he has ever known, losing him would kill him. Which is exactly why he can never know about what he truly is, 'cause then he will definitely abandon him. He thinks that's why his parents gave up on him in the first place, they couldn't bare the fact that their son was different – that he was a monster. Even some of his old flings had a nasty reaction to the sudden discovery of his true nature. They would either run for the hills or develop a disturbing fetish related to his beastly form. Worst case scenario they would try to kill him – two had already tried so far, not a good way to end a relationship but he couldn't really help it. After that second fiasco, he was convinced that he would never be able to have a normal contenting relationship with a woman in his life so he simply stopped trying to pursue one.

Bottom line, life sucks if you're just a regular guy with his abilities. But if you are a _warrior,_ a soldier no less, with his reflexes, his agility, his strength, his badassery...then you have nothing to fear! You are treated like a king, you are a god to everyone's eyes! You are undefeated, everyone wants to have you on their team 'cause you are the only one who can guarantee them victory and a safe return back to their wives and children. No one saw him as the bad guy on the battlefield, they saw him as their saving grace. He felt good knowing that he was helping others with his gifts, knowing that maybe after all he had a purpose to serve in this god damn world, that maybe he wasn't such a big mistake after all and God actually had a plan for him. When he first joined along with Rick, he started believing again, not just in God or fate but in himself as well. So of course he would choose this life over any other offered, any day!

Derek fired four, five, six times in a row and each time his aim was perfect and his shot flawless, leading to four dead foes and two wounded horses that fell to the ground like collapsing sacks of heavy rocks. He would have killed more if at the exact same moment he was re-loading his riffle their defense line hadn't broken. All around him riders were jumping over the heads of legionnaires, knocking them off their feet like obstacles on a race, creating holes on the wall of human bodies they had formed. The ones who attempted to flee ended up falling prey to the blades of the vicious warriors who slashed them to pieces, a symphony of painful shrieks and streams of red being the gory result. Derek would have had the same fate if he hadn't managed to duck away just in time. One thing was for sure, neither him nor Rick was gonna stick around and see how that would turn out. So both friends started running as fast as they could towards the opposite direction, as far away from the steeds of war and their furious masters as possible.

They make their way through the maze of ancient relics and ruins, spraying bullets left and right, shooting down men and horses alike with incredible skill, preventing them from reaching anywhere near them. But when their ammunitions run out, their legion lies scattered around them in pieces and the horsemen have started gaining on them...it is hiding time. The two friends now run in panic and distress, both feeling like headless chickens: extremely disoriented and with nowhere to go. They run through the empty City of the Dead in search of a place to hide and seek refuge, and for a minute it seems like Rick has found it when he hits Derek in the shoulder and yells "this way!" at him. But all of Derek's hopes wither and die down like unwatered plants, a generous amount of exasperation weeds growing in their place, once he realizes that his friend is leading them towards Beni of all people! "Run, Beni run!" Rick had the kindness to yell in warning at the pathetic excuse of a human being as the two men jumped over a fallen pillar with two horsemen hot on their tails. The little weasel was impudent enough to smirk slyly at them before making a beeline towards the opposite direction where a secret passage door was located. "Don't you close that door! Beni! Don't you dare close that door!" Rick yelled in warning, but it turned out being in vain, since Beni entered safety and all but shut the door at the friends' faces. "That did not surprise me AT ALL!" Derek commented all pissed off. "Shut up, not now!" was all Rick said before they both had to start running again for the horsemen were gaining on them once more.

Eventually they run out of Hammunaptra. They had nowhere else to run or hide, they had officially hit a dead end. They find themselves now with their backs against the ropes and trapped between a rock and a hard place. Or, more specifically, trapped between a human wall of Medjai warriors that were pointing loaded rifles at them and the 3.000 year old statue of Anubis which had ended up neck-deep buried into the sand after the centuries of storms that had abused it. What neither of the friends knew though was that underneath said statue the tomb of the most dangerous evil in all of Egypt was located.

* * *

Although they didn't have the historical knowledge to identify the place on which they were standing on, they could definitely sense that something was extremely wrong with it. Derek a lot more than Rick for obvious reasons. His sixth sense – which he liked to refer to as his 'animal' sense – told him that a very ominous, very malevolent presence was among them. He could feel it tainting the atmosphere around them, he could hear its wicked whisper traveling with the wind. The horses could feel it too. They started neighing in dread and some of them even threw their riders off their backs before rushing out of the cursed place as fast as their slim legs could carry them.

Both Rick and Derek turned around as if expecting the evil being to pop out from inside Anubis' head. Only it didn't. Instead it came from underneath. It surfaced through the ground below their feet in an eruption of golden grains and attacked them in the form of a sandstorm. It didn't take long for the two men to figure out that something didn't want them to be in the deserted City anymore so they decided to do the reasonable thing and get the hell out of it as soon as possible!

* * *

They went away so quickly that they didn't get to witness the villainous presence revealing itself by manifesting into Imhotep's wide-mouthed screaming face upon the sand.

* * *

As they moved away from Hammunaptra and started making their way through the scorching heat of the inhospitable desert, both men felt eyes burning holes to the back of their heads more intensely than the Sahara sun itself. They turned around at the same time and stared at the figures of at least a dozen Medjai warriors, one of which was the still unknown to them Ardeth Bay.

* * *

Derek noticed one of the black-clad warriors' lips moving, so he used his advanced hearing abilities in order to catch what he was saying. He spoke in a language of Arabic origins, one that he had never heard or used before in his entire life and yet...he could understand it as if it was plain English! "What about these two?" he asked, obviously referring to he and Rick. He seemed to be addressing to the man in the middle. Derek figured since he was the only one looking more like a leader and because he was the one staring more intently at the two of them. "Should we kill them?" the man asked another question. "No. The desert will kill them" came their leader's reply.

 _Well thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy!_ Derek thought before taking his eyes away from the group of warriors and giving Rick a look that was saying 'let's get out of here'. They didn't know where they were going, they didn't know what they were gonna do after they'd reach civilization. Only thing they knew is that they didn't wanna die and were ready to walk a thousand miles and stay awake for days upon days in order to make sure they achieved just that. And Derek had the extra ambition of proving the warrior guy wrong.

* * *

Two defeated, fallen from grace former legionnaires now walk across the golden desert in search of a saving grace. They could have never guessed that they will act as the catalysts who sill set in motion a series of cosmic events about to either destroy the world or rewrite the facts written upon the string of fate once and for all.

* * *

 **Mount Caucasus, 1926**

A piece of history. A token of man's skillfulness. A portal to a whole other world of mystery, imagination and innovation modern scientists, scholars and engineers would never be able to neither picture in all of its glory nor understand its full potential. That's what Alethea Carnahan saw whenever she looked upon a relic of an ancient civilization. No matter what it was – a piece of marble that broke off of an urn, the ruins of an old temple or some ancient tools – she would always find it to be remarkable, beautiful and unique in its own way.

At the moment, the exotic beauty of an archaeologist was attending an escapade in Caucasus. She and her crew had joined an eclectic group of fellow historians, archaeologists and other experts of the field in order to explore and study the mountain caves. Recent researches had shown that one of the primer homo sapiens' clans resided in these places during the early Stone Age, so Alethea and the rest of her colleagues were assigned to confirm said studies with further evidence and findings. Of course, the young woman accepted in a heartbeat and was more than excited for this trip at the eastern side of Europe. She appreciated every chance she got to study a piece of human history whether that was the early stages of evolution (as in right now), the Byzantium empire or an old Vikings' community. She adored everything that had to do with ancient cultures, lost cities and communities of legend and myth. She had walked down the old streets of Pompeii, caressed the cold marbles of the great Parthenon, she had even been inside medieval castles and fortresses. Each moment in history was a new mystery to be solved in her eyes, another thrilling chapter in the biggest and most amazing book that has ever been written and will never stop _being written_. She had learned to value them all, while every fact, event and monument left behind fascinated her to no extend.

She had her parents to thank for all of that. They were the ones who had taught her that the world is one wide expanse of endless possibilities just waiting to be explored. They were also the ones who always encouraged her to look for adventures wherever she went, to live life to its fullest and always be ready for the unexpected to happen. They had taught her everything she knew, from her historical knowledge to her master knife-wielding skills. They were the reason she had developed the dream of becoming an archaeologist in the first place; her dad was a successful one himself who used to briing Alethea, her big adventurer of a mother and her two older siblings along with him on his escapades. The kids were bound to fall in love with the job, there was simply no avoiding it!

Alethea's older sister, Evelyn, is a very talented and highly educated woman that Alethea likes to call a triple threat. She is an aspiring egyptiologist, an expert linguist that can translate hieroglyphics and ancient Egyptian like nobody's business and a full time librarian. She lives in Cairo – the birthplace of their mom and one of their two homelands, the other one being London, England, due to their father's origin – and works at one of the biggest libraries in the country. A job that she absolutely adores and is really proud of doing but Alethea knows that deep down her big sister would like to do something more with her life. She has the brains to become one of the greatest modern scholars, a free spirit that any other woman of their time would envy and the heart of a true adventurer. She just doesn't know that this last part is true – yet, at least. But Alethea does! She has seen the spark burning within her sister's almond-colored eyes and wants nothing more than to help her ignite it to its full fiery potential. Alethea loves her big sis. She respects and admires her very much, but they are two very different characters. She goes wherever life takes her, traveling with the wind and chance just like a bird, looking for adventure in every corner. Evelyn is a more quiet, sophisticated and serious character who has been the mother figure of both Alethea and their brother since their parents died which is why it's gonna take a really big deal of an expedition to truly bring the adventurer out of her. Alethea just hopes she'll be there to experience it along with her.

Their brother, Jonathan, is nothing like either of the girls! He is a sweet soul no doubt, and don't get Alethea wrong she'd kill and die for the guy any day, but truth be told he's not exactly the kind of guy you wanna take home to meet your parents or trust an investment to him. He has always been reckless, with a bit of an obnoxious character if we're being completely honest, plus his over the top love for any kind of leisureliness has put him into trouble more times than it should be legal. But still, despite all of his flaws, his sisters love him and are always there to help him whenever he needs them. Because he would do the same for them if they'd ask him. Deep down he is kind and funny and very loving towards his family. He is just a bit over the top sometimes. To the point that he ended up destroying his career in the same field as his siblings, but...nobody's perfect!

As of Alethea, right now she is tied by the waist to a safe line while exploring a pretty damn old cave that used to be inhabited by early age homo sapiens. The young archaeologist searches through the dirt and grass and eventually her delicate bronze fingers wrap around an old tool that must be made of some animal's bone if she's not mistaken. She picks it up, takes out her fidèle little brush and starts cleaning the grim off of it. Her attention is solely focused on the task at hand, her eyes roaming over the little details that indicate its manifacturing (the bone was broken in two and then sharpened carefully at the edges) and use (skining preys), appreciating the little miracle in between her fingers with the critical eye and little fanboy's joy that comes with the package of being an archaeologist.

"Hey, Lethy!" suddenly, an all too familiar voice disturbs her serenity and bursts her dream-like bubble of focus. She is startled and almost drops the instrument but thankfully she is able to regain her composure at the last moment. "Dammit, Stilinski!" she snaps. She glances down below and there she finds her assistant / one of her two traveling companions, Stiles Stilinski, standing by the hilltop, a hand in front of his squinted eyes providing him shade from the sun and a clearer view of the researches on top of the mountain. "What the hell are you trying to do? Have me fall off the damn cliff?!" she shouts at the slim, pale-faced, dark-haired boy that now stands thirty feet below her, looking like an ant. "I see her majesty, the queen of drama, decided to join us once again" said boy sasses back at his boss and Lethy rolls her eyes exaggeratively. Don't let the banter fool you. The two have been friends for a long time now and there is less than a handful of things they wouldn't do for each other. Stiles' father was her dad's old companion and partner resulting in the two of them spending their entire childhood together, traveling across the world and solving ancient mysteries with their old men. When Alethea took her father's place in the world of archeology, she offered Stiles a job and a chance to relive their old adventures and of course he accepted. The two have been partners in crime since the very beginning, they are both loyal to each other and care deeply for one another. Even though they have a very serious tendency for getting into each other's nerves, pushing each other's buttons and bickering like siblings, but hey, a wise man once said that we should accept our friends, flaws and all.

"Can't you two just have _one_ normal conversation where you don't shout at each other like old hags?" Lily – Alethea's other faithful companion and time long friend – spoke, a disapproving look on her soft facial features. The two girls met when they were both students at London's Royal Academy, studying history and preparing for their future life as exhibitionists. They developed an instant connection and quickly became friends, bonding over their mutual love for Homer's epic tales and their interest regarding long lost ancient civilizations. Once they graduated, they hoped on the road of adventure together, going on their first exhibition as a team, with Stiles following them closely. They've been inseparable ever since, all three of them a unit and a family both on the road and off campaign season. "Hey, don't blame me! It's your boyfriend who just can't stop pissing me off" Lethy retorted in an exaggerated tone. "He is not my boyfriend" Lily murmured, the same moment that a light blush had started dusting her freckled cheeks. _Yeah right,_ Alethea thought with a smirk. The two had spent two years snarking the hell out of each other, courting in that special kind of way that seemed to work just for the two of them. But lately something had shifted between them. Lethy had noticed more often occurrences of light 'accidental' touches, stolen glances, and adorable awkwardness between the two of them. She didn't know what exactly which event caused that change to take place – the time Stiles accidentally walked on Lily bathing in a stream and for the first time he realized how much of an attractive young woman she truly were, that other time when he saved her from a gunshot at Morocco or maybe it was when Lily spent six days straight nurturing Stiles back to hell after he had caught a nasty bug in Amazon – but, in her books, it was only a matter of time before he went down on one knee and asked her to become his for the rest of their lives.

Lily bowed her head in embarrassment, her cheeks still visibly burning, and went back to work, this time with more concentration than before as if she was trying to make herself disappear from this world and the previous conversation by staring intently and brushing furiously the poor tool that was now located in her hands. Lethy rolled her eyes, this time her being the one showing disapproval. They would wake up at some point and face their emotions like logical human beings, but in the meantime she had to figure out what the little spaz wanted of her. "What do you want, sport?" Lethy yelled at the boy, this time without any aggression or sarcasm in her voice, just with enough force to make her voice loud for him to hear and understand her. "You've got a phone call. It's your sister, Evie!" Stiles yelled back at her, same tone of voice as herself. Immediately Lethy's brows drew together and a look of confusion covered her entire face. Evie? Why would Evie be calling her? Due to the usual lack of communication during campaigns, the constant moving around and the mere respect toward her work, her siblings very rarely called Lethy while she was away on some sort of exhibition because 1) they didn't know if they'd be able to reach her and 2) because they didn't want to disturb her from her work – especially Evie, she knew better than anyone how important it is to have peace and quite while you're doing the job you love. Lethy usually called _them_ or she waited till she'd see them in person when they'd return home. Something very serious must have happened for Evie to be doing something so out of plan and that realization had Lethy worried but also curious to see what were the news her sister was bringing her.

"I'm coming down! Tell her to hold on!" she called out and Stiles nodded in agreement. "What could Evie possibly want?" Lily inquired – the oddness of the situation had managed to pull her out of her embarrassment bubble. "I don't know. I can only hope that Jonathan hasn't gotten himself into trouble again" said Lethy, adding a little exasperated huff and an eye roll in the mixture as well just for that extra spice. Lily simply offered her a gentle understanding smile as a reply to that – knowing full well of her brother's misdoings during all those years and being nothing but sympathizing towards Alethea – and then went back to work, focusing silently and peacefully at the ancient tools in front of her.

Alethea grabbed the rope of her safe line tightly with both of her hands, stepped out of the cave and secured her feet on the ground at the side of the cliff, ready to jump her way down. She took a leap and then another and another, slowly making her way down the side of the stone wall, three meters at the time. But because she was feeling rather bold that day, she decided to mess around a little. So, instead of doing the reasonable thing and go down the rest of the way with slow, steady and cautious steps, as she was supposed to, she decided to do it her way. So with a smirk upon her plump lips and a daredevil spark illuminating her obsidian eyes, she counted to three, gave a generous push with her strong legs and let go of the safe line. Once in the air, she started doing back-flips, folding and unfolding her body with great skill and mastery, while still maintaining both balance and elegance in every move, in every swing and every maneuver. Eventually she landed on her feet just like a feline and flogged her arms in the air just for that extra touch of theatricality that she considered was necessary. At the moment she felt utterly and truly amazing with herself, her body, her mind and her spirit. Most people thought of her as lunatic for performing such risky tricks from time to time, but, honestly, she didn't care what people thought, because they simply did not understand how she worked. Performing acts like that kept her sharp, kept her in shape and most importantly kept her sane! Knowing that her body could still carry out stunts like that made her so very happy because it meant that she was still strong and capable and healthy enough to do so. She saw no wrong in them. Besides, the moment she would sense the danger in them or she would understand that she no longer could pull them off as good as before she would immediately stop and star doing things more mellow. That's a promise she had made to herself, because, let's be honest, you only have one life to live and it's a real pity to want to waste it in a risk that won't pay off. Alethea was dauntless, not stupid.

In the meantime, some of her colleagues and the assistants had stopped attending to their work and were now staring at her half-in shock and half-in disapproval. Some people were cheering and applauding her while others simply looked at her as if she was some wack-job that deserved to be locked up in an asylum. But Lethy wasn't fazed by any of those kinds of attention. Instead, she walked casually toward the tent where the only telephone in the entire camp – and the entire mountain for that matter – was located in order to have that arranged conversation with her dear sister. "You know, I'm sure the Russian circus is still hiring! And it's only just a few miles away! Want me to drop you off?" Stilinski quipped once she reached him, sitting with his arms folded and a half-smart / half-sarcastic look decorating his very pale but still very soft and charming characteristics. Alethea simply gave him a foxy smirk before replying: "Nice try, Stilinski. You aren't gonna get rid of me that easily, I'm afraid" and with that she took the telephone's head away from him and placed it to her own ear.

"Hello? Evie? Are you there?" she said and after a couple of seconds her sister's voice was heard over the other side. "Lethy! Oh thank goodness! It's so good to hear you! You have no idea how important it's been for us to reach you!" the soft voice of her sister with the sweet and velvety accent reached her ears and Lethy immediately felt a smile tugging at the sides of her mouth. "It's good to hear you too, sis. But wait, what do you mean 'us'? Is Jonathan there with you?" she asked in confusion and curiosity. "Well, not at the moment, but he is very much part of the cause why I had to call you and reach you as soon as possible" Evie replied.

"Oh God what did he do now?" Lethy whined almost tiredly and in defeat, ready to hear the worst...but the news that eventually reached her ears were not what she expected to hear by a long shot! "He found it, Lethy! Jonathan has found it! He found the map for Hammunaptra!" said Evie, the giddiness and enthusiasm in her voice almost too much to the point that her voice sounded high pitched and deformed. Lethy's eyebrows shot all the way to her hairline as a reaction to the suddenness and down right incomprehensibility of the newly discovered news. She couldn't believe what she was hearing...it was just too good and impossible to be the truth...Evie had to be mistaken, there was no other logical explanation!

"Woah, slow down. Sister, have you been drinking?" she asked her.

"No!" Evie was quick to reply, a bit thrown off by the abnormal – for her – question.

"Then have you been hallucinating?"

"No!" there was the negative word again. It was getting realer and realer and at the same time all the harder for Lethy to wrap her head around it.

"Then perhaps smoking? Using illegal narcotics? Eaten weird fruits? Inhaled toxic gases?"

"No, no, no! Lethy this is real! I'm being serious! Jonathan has truly found the map to Hammunpatra! Do you realize what this means? Our childhood dream, sister! We'll finally be able to make it come true! We're finally going to find the ancient city that no other historian before us could! We'll discover the place mom and dad used to tale us stories about when we were little kids! It's all finally going to come true!" Evie kept on talking, her complete and utter joy practically touchable even though she was on the other side of the phone, inside a library at Cairo. And yet Lethy could practically _smell_ how excited her sister was about this discovery and her feelings were starting to affect her too, and she didn't know what to do about it, how to handle it. She was still trying to process the new information and what they meant for her, her team and her siblings.

"Evie this...this is amazing! I simply cannot believe it! I'm just in shock right now but in the good way! I'm just so happy, this is incredible!" said Lethy, finally allowing herself to join her sister at the ride towards enthrallment. Also getting a bit emotional as well, after all this has been a dream of both her and Evie for as long as she can remember. They've always harbored a great fascination for the lost City of the Dead which was said to hold all of ancient Egypt's wealth and secrets. And they had promised to each other that when they would grow up they would uncover it together, thus becoming the greatest archaeologists of all time! "It truly is, little sister. Which is why I called you. We need you to come home as quickly as possible, we need your knowledge for the exhibition and I need _you_ there with me or else it just wouldn't feel right. This is our dream, Lethy. I can't do this without you. So what do you say?" Evie's words tugged at a million heart strings at a time.

At one hand, Lethy wanted to join her siblings at this new and exciting adventure more than anything, but on the other hand, she couldn't abandon her job here that easily. But this was Hammunaptra they were talking about! If what Jonathan had discovered was legit then this could be the greatest archaeological dig that has ever been done and the historical society would be thanking them forever! Besides, there were dozens of fully capable researchers, archaeologists and historians already working on this particular site she was on right now, plenty of which she was sure wouldn't miss her at all if she was gone. _Snobby bastards_ , she thought. As far as the money's concerned she didn't care about them that much anyway. After weighting all of the pros and cons and all of the options in her mind she decided that this was a risk worth taking.

"I'm coming home right now" she finally declared and heard her sister squealing with excitement, the endearing sound causing her to smile widely. "Oh goodness I'm so happy! Me and Jonathan will be waiting for you to arrive, we're not starting anything without you" Evelyn stated firmly. "I will arrive at Cairo's harbor at approximately two or three days, as long as the weather is good of course" said Lethy.

"Alright then. See you in three days at the harbor. I love you, sister. Make sure to take care" said Evie.

"I will, ol' mama, I promise. I love you too. Give Jonathan my best" said Lethy before hanging up the phone. After taking a moment to herself in order to fully grasp the situation and breath a grounding breathe, she heads outside in search of Stiles and Lily. She eventually finds them discussing something in regards to the findings over some notebooks. "You two, get ready. We're going back to Egypt first thing in the morning" she declared firmly and ultimately before turning around meaning to head toward her tent in order to gather her belongings.

Her two companions share a very confused look. "Wait, what? Why?" Stilinski is the one who decides to speak both of their minds. "Because my siblings found the way to Hammunaptra. So congratulations guys, we're going to uncover a mystery!" Lethy throws at them over her shoulder with a smirk as wide as their astonished eyes right now.

Let's just say, they didn't need any more persuasion after that.


	4. Meeting With Two Dead Men Walking

**Helloooooo everyone! Here we are once again with a new chapter featuring one of my favorite scenes in the entire movie but with a little twist. ;-) You need to read to find out. ;-) Before we start though I'd like to make everyone aware of the fact that I'll be using a bit of graphic language in this and the upcoming chapters. Nothing too explicit, nothing too much that is unhandleable, but I still wanted to point that out and alert my readers because my goal in life is too be respectful of my fellow human beings - and also I want to avoid hate from piling up in my inbox. So, just be cautious of that, kidos. But if you're cool with it then come join the fun! Without any further ado, here's chapter 2! :-)**

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The early rays of the bright Egyptian sun caressed Alethea's soft cheek and kissed her dark eyelashes-framed eyelids with the warmth and affection of a lover. What a wonderful way to start her day; perfectly suitable to the magnificent way by which she had spent her night. Very rarely she would have a restless sleep, most commonly her mind was full of colorful images, exquisite sceneries and... _delicious_ situations. Her dreams were usually the same and followed the exact same pattern: the sweet gold and crimson colors of an on-going dusk as seen through the shade of a garden full of tall and lively palm trees; palaces and temples made of pure gold and sparkling precious gemstones; the sight of the star-filled sky covering the wide expanse of the desert like a black veil full of diamonds; and a great king-sized bed on top of which she would find herself sharing precious moments of ecstasy between the silken sheets with a passionate stranger. She has never seen his full face nor has ever gazed upon his facial features with a clear eye. His face is always blurred, covered by a fog of delirium. Only thing she knows for sure is the color of his eyes: two smoldering, piercing and truly magnetic seas of endless forest green that change to a radiant azure whenever their passion reaches its peak. Those eyes are what have truly bewitched her. They pull her in, drown her and never let her pull out for air. Nor has she ever wanted to. Every time she has been lost in them she has been at peace, in bliss, on cloud nine. Why would she ever want to give up on something like that?

She only knows the color of his eyes. And the feeling of absolute contentment that overwhelms her every time she is with him. She has never seen how his smile looks like, but she has felt the softness, the sweetness and firmness of his lips upon her skin - kissing her, tasting her, ravishing her. She doesn't know the shape or form of his body, but she knows his strength for she has felt it in his arms when they circle her tiny waist and hold her close during their love-making, in the rippling muscles that dance underneath her fingertips and the earth-shattering pleasure that manages to bring her every time without ever missing an opportunity. He is a ghost to her, a vision...and she wouldn't want it or him any other way.

She can't recall exactly when those dreams became an occurrence to her, but she doesn't really mind. She is just thankful it has happened. Because, now, she has a vast imaginary world full of wonders in which she can escape to every night in her sleep, away from the stresses of the day and the gloominess of everyday reality. And a mysterious man to share those experiences with. He is her secret friend, her beautiful fantasy, her lover dressed in darkness. She doesn't know who he is or if he is even real – she would for sure remember those captivating green eyes if she were to encounter them in real life. He is a stranger to her but at the same time he is just another wonderful mystic to her that she simply cannot say no to. He entices and excites her. He offers her more passion and thrills than any other lover, real or not, could ever hope to provide her – she should know, she had three of them in the short time of her adulthood and none could hold a candle to the way the man of her dreams made her feel. She doesn't mind that she can only be with him in the confined yet comforting space of her mind, or that she can't even make out his appearance. He makes her happy, he makes her feel more alive, cherished and loved than any other man has ever done before. In her eyes, no one can beat him, not even all the men alive combined. And for the time being, that's all she needs - happiness, contentment, solace. He is good for her, he offers her a short of sanctuary that she didn't know needed. So she decides to hold on to it for the time being – and hopefully preserve it for as long as possible.

She started waking up, slowly, coming back to her senses and recovering from a full night of deep slumbering and lots of _very_ eventful dreams. She got up, stretching her limbs back to life and wiping the remains of sleep away from her beautiful cat-like eyes in the process. The salty smell of sea water, mixed with the exotic aroma of spices from the local market and the heavy scent of smoke produced by the machines of automobiles, traveled with the morning breeze, came through the porthole and reached Alethea's nostrils. _Ah, it's good to be home!_ the young woman thought to herself, a smile adorning her lips. The characteristic smells were accompanied by the sound of distant chatter and busy commotion that made Cairo's harbor so distinct and the deafening booming roar of the ship's whistle, announcing that they had arrived at their wanted destination.

With her vision now completely cleared, she took a look around her cabin and noticed that her two companions were also starting to wake up – not even a Stilinski could sleep with the mighty sound of that damn whistle breaking his ear-drums. "Good morning" Lethy greeted them warmly and Lily offered her a sleepy smile, mumbling a mere 'G'morning' before rubbing her eyes clean. On the other hand, Stiles groaned in frustration and his face contorted in a grimace of annoyance at the sun's existence and his boss' excessive cheerfulness for such an inappropriate hour. "It sure as hell is morning but I'm not so sure if that's a good thing" he mumbled, his voice all croaky and gravelly due to the effects of sleeping like a brick. Lethy rolled her eyes and shook her head in disapproval. "You are a real bundle of joy, are you not?" she quipped. "Seriously, would it honestly kill you to wake up one morning and have a better attitude?"

"It could, possibly. The Gods might consider it to be a sign of the world falling apart and send a rain of asteroids to destroy us all" he replied, half-seriously. Although, with his semi-sleeping face that looked as if he just had his ass handed to him by a group of rhinos and his hair standing out in weird places, resembling a poorly made bird's nest, she simply couldn't take him seriously. Lethy put on her best sarcastic face and deadpanned: "I'm willing to take that chance if it means that you'll finally stop ruining _my_ precious good mood" and with those words she had stood up from the bed and started moving around the room in order to collect the clothes she had picked out for the day and gather up her things, getting ready for the time they'd have to get off the ship.

"Well maybe if you'd told me where the hell you get that good mood I would go and visit that store for a little shopping spree of my own" Stiles quipped right back at her, causing her to stop dead in her tracks and blush furiously. She hadn't told any of her friends of her special dreams, she meant to keep them a secret, something that was just her own to cherish and relish in it. Also, she was _rightfully_ worried of being picked on because of them. So she simply shook her head, kept her gaze low and carried on with her business. "Oh, that's no great riddle. She's probably just having some naughty dreams that make her feel all mushy and gushy inside and thus keep her happy and content all night and morning long" Lily joked, now fully awake and with a sly smirk stretching up her lips. Lethy's blush only deepened three shades darker and turned around to look at Lily all shocked and scandalized. "Miss Lilith Jones! I didn't know you had it in you to be that foxy" she commented with a saucy smirk of her own. She wouldn't be Lethy if she allowed herself to be fazed by her friends' teasing. Oh hell to the no! Alethea Carnahan always walks out of every argument with her head held high and her confidence intact. Lily merely shrugged and smiled proudly at her accomplishment. "Naahhh, I highly doubt it. If she were having a wet dream she'd be moaning like a cow for sure! Our friend doesn't look like the silent type to me" the slim dark-haired boy commented _terrifyingly_ casually. Lethy gawked in disbelief. "Can you two stop analyzing my hypothetical sex noises and get ready? We are about to hit the harbor in ten minutes and I'm sure my siblings are going to be waiting for us" she said before entering the little space that served as their bathroom. "You still haven't denied it, Lethy!" Lily yelled after her. "Perverts!" Lethy yelled back before slamming the door behind her.

Behind the safety of the closed door, she was able to let out a frustrated breath and properly calm herself down. She went over to the sink and threw a generous amount of water on her face in order to fully wake herself up and cool off that flush that was now covering her entire face into obscurity. She then proceeded to put on her carefully selected outfit of the day: a puffy shirt with long sleeves that tied to the front with two rope-shaped strings, and whose vibrant shade of green resembled the color of Mediterranean waters when they'd reach the coast and gather up in a new bay, along with a pair of dark brown traveling trousers and a pair of boots of the same color. Alethea preferred wearing things that allowed her to be comfortable and have freedom of movement while working or traveling, but that were also appealing, sophisticated and flattering of her most fair attributes. Function and fashion were one and the same on her opinion, which is why she always picked clothes that embodied both elements perfectly and harmonically. Nonetheless, she wasn't much of a skirts and hats type of girl – unlike her older sister, Evie. She never wore dresses unless it was a very big and formal occasion, otherwise she liked to keep a certain tomboy-ish flare to her everyday looks. It wasn't a form of rebellion though; it was simply her own personal preference and taste that imposed these rules of dressing on her. Which is why most of her clothes are specially customized and tailored appropriately in order to satisfy her needs and tastes.

And last, but most certainly not least, the final piece of her attire is of course her favorite set of twin blades which she always carries around and never leave her waistline if she can help it. Two gorgeous daggers made of the finest steal, with beautifully decorated handles and two sharp as they can be blades, the shape of which almost resembles a lighting bolt. Her father bought them from the booth of a very talented blade smith/craftsman right here in the market of Cairo and gave them to her as a birthday gift when she turned eighteen. Her mother had her objections at first - since, according to her, a proper lady isn't supposed to be carrying any weapons on her - but they eventually convinced her that knowing how to protect and defend herself was a basic thing that Lethy needed to be taught, whether she was a lady or not. As a result, she was allowed to keep her new gifts and started training with her dad on the act of blade wielding almost immediately! She learned that these knives can be used as a mean of protection, a tool while on an exhibition, a survival must or an accessory of badassery! Through the years, she has made good use of all of their possibilities in numerous occasions and plans to carry on doing so, her experience transforming her into a true master of the art that can be matched by a very selected group of few people.

Alas, she completed her look by gathering her hair up in a loose ponytail in order to protect herself from the excessive heat of Cairo and stepped out of the restroom. At the same time she was coming out of the bathroom, Lily appeared from behind the screen that separated the room and offered privacy to the young lady that needed to change without being seen by the male in the room, buttoning up the remaining three buttons of her shirt. "Okay, I'm ready" she declared with a smile and a final adjustment of her shirt inside her brown puffy pants. "So am I" said Stiles who now stood in the middle of the room fully dressed in his light-colored, summer work clothes, loaded with all of his baggages – Lethy loved the guy like a brother, but he had a very nasty habit of over-packing, resulting in him always looking like a merchant's mule! – and a big, bright, goofy yet adorable smile on his young, handsome face. "Excellent. Shall we then?" Lethy suggested, her lips slightly tugged. Lily and herself picked up their own luggages and work kits and the trio left its cabin behind in order to join the rest of the passengers at the unloading ramp.

Once out in the open, Lethy's eyes scanned the awaiting crowd that had gathered in front of the ramp in order to welcome their loved ones back home, searching for any signs of her siblings. She eventually spotted both Evelyn and Jonathan standing amongst the attending friends and family members of the passengers and immediately lifted her hand to wave them hello. When Evelyn noticed her, she cracked up a big smile at her and waved enthusiastically in greeting – so did Jonathan. As a result, Lethy felt her cheeks hollowing and her lips stretching into a wide hearty smile at the great joy that the sight of her siblings brought to her and swelled up her heart. She didn't wait up for her two friends to catch up to her, the moment the crowd of travelers started to dilute she took off running and made a bee-line straight toward Evie's and Jonathan's place.

"Lethy!" Evie screeched in happiness and rushed to embrace her sister warmly. Lethy was quick to return the affectionate hug and squeeze her dear sister tightly to her own body. It's been so long since the last time they embraced it almost felt like a lifetime ago. Lethy hadn't realized how much she had missed them till this very moment, till she was back home, in their presence and was once again able to touch and speak to them. When you spend too much time lacking a particular kind of delight you learn to endure and live without it. So, you don't miss it, until you get to experience and taste it once again; then everything starts coming back to you and you remember clearly and vividly how much you've missed it and needed it all this time. Lethy isn't much of a crier, but right now she feels close to bursting into tears for the first time in months, merely by the intensity of this sweet and sentimental reunion. "It's so good to see you" says Evie. "Good to see you too, big mama" says Lethy, adding a little hiccup of a laugh at the end.

Evie takes a step back and removes herself from the hug in order to take a better look at her little sis and vise versa. As expected, the oldest Carnahan daughter was dressed in a modest skirt and blouse along with a prim hat and a fitting pair of boots, her luscious chocolate curls styled in a perfect little bun, looking as beautiful and radiant as ever, especially with that big smile of pearly whites decorating her elegant facial features. "Hey, make some room for the man of the hour! I wanna get some of that too!" said Jonathan before joining his sisters in their little reunion festival and taking it up from Evelyn to squeeze Lethy into a tight – almost asphyxiating – hug in which Lethy relished. "Well, well, well. God, look at you, baby sis! It seems like every time we meet, you have somehow grown to be even more beautiful than the last one" he says, looking up and down at her with eyes full of pride and admiration. Lethy gave him a grateful smile and replied: "Thank you, Jonathan. And look at you! All cleaned up, shaved, smart and spiffy!" she pointed out while inspecting him every aspect of him very closely and critically as if she was gonna file a report afterwards regarding her findings. "Sober and without any broken bones! Now that's a remarkable first!" she added sarcastically and everyone laughed at her comment, except from the slightly embarrassed Jonathan. "Ha, ha, ha. Very funny" he complained. "I'm just teasing you, Johnny Boy" she said and smacked his cheek playfully.

"Lily! Stiles! Oh my sweets! How long has it been? How are you?" now Evelyn's attention was focused on her sister's best friends that, up until now, were simply watching the merry scene take place from their comfortable place a few feet away. Lily was the first one to receive a hug from Evelyn. "We're glad to be here, Evie. We are both very excited for this new adventure that is about to begin!" she declared once she was released, determination and excitement two bright and beautiful sparks visible within the chestnut color of her irises. Stiles, on the other hand, was a bit more _enthusiastic_ when it came to getting physical with Lethy's big sister. He beat her to it, rushing to trap her in a very tight hug and then refused to let her go for five whole seconds more than it should be considered appropriate, all of it while having a big disturbingly dreamy and satisfied look pasted on his face like he had just won the lottery. Lethy grimaced and gagged visibly, her best friend's childish crush on her big sis was unrealistic and bloody uncomfortable to watch. Lily simply rolled her eyes and shook her head at his horny teenager behavior as if saying 'boys, when are they ever gonna change?', but no hard feelings were harbored or shown in the way her eyes twinkled. She knew that Stiles' little hormone soirée wasn't something to be taken into serious account, so of course she wasn't feeling jealous or anything of the sorts because of that.

"Yo, Stilinski! Stop defiling my sister!" Lethy ordered and the boy _reluctantly_ let the older woman go, pouting in grievance and doing his puppy-doe eye look thing that made the girls of the group forgive all of his missteps.

Lethy shook her head at her friend's antics and turned to look at her two siblings. "Okay, I think that's enough for today. We've had more than our generous dose of sentimentality. Now let's get back to business! Where is it? I wanna see it!" the young woman declared. Her lush, coral stained lips were stretched into a wide grin of excitement and anticipation while her dark as coal eyes sparkled like the ones of a little kid who was just about to receive a new surprise toy. Her siblings, though, didn't seem to share any of her feelings. At the sound of her demand, they exchanged a wide-eyed, nervous look and started fidgeting awkwardly. "Where's what?" said Jonathan, trying to play it ignorant and nonchalant - and failing miserably. He looked as stressed as if he was just asked to clean up the Augean stables! Lethy narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Jonathan's virginity" Lethy quipped. "The map of course! What else did you think I could _possibly_ be talking about?"

"Oh, yes! The map! Well about that..." Jonathan mumbled and scratched his neck nervously while also avoiding all eye contact with his younger sister. "Please don't tell me you lost it! I've been waiting for this moment my whole life for it to turn out like that" said Lethy, both her voice and her expression now filling with sadness and worry. "No, no, dear. Don't worry about it, the map isn't lost" said Evie in her usual motherly tone which Lethy knew all too well. "What Jonathan is trying to say is that there have been some... _developments_ regarding both the map and our plan of action" she confessed, looking no less guilty than Jonathan. "What kind of developments?" this time it was Lily the one who voiced the question burning on all of their tongues. The two older Carnahans exchanged another agitated look, Evelyn bit her lip and Jonathan grimaced at his position of disadvantage. "We'll explain everything to you along the way" said Evelyn, she and Jonathan slowly making their way toward the car that was gonna pick them up. "Along the way to _where_ exactly?" Stiles inquired, a brow arched in disbelief. "You'll see when we get there. Now hop on!" was the only thing Jonathan told them before stepping into the car and taking his seat behind the wheel.

The three companions exchanged a long questioning look but, eventually, they simply decided to shrug off the oddness of it all and follow their lead. After all, that was Evie and Jonathan they were talking about! They could trust them for sure. How bad could the situation truly be?

* * *

"What a bloody bastard!" Lethy exclaimed angrily.

"Language, young lady!" was the immediate reaction received, of course on Evelyn's part. Big mama doesn't tolerate bad manners, not even if they are caused by such serious circumstances.

"Oh no, Evelyn! I refuse to be polite towards that bloody old fool after what he did! I mean look at this mess!" Lethy declared heatedly, her eyes blazing and her chest heaving, resembling an angry bull in the middle of a fight against a red piece of cloth. In her hands, she was holding the destroyed map to Hammunaptra and the puzzle box that came with it but it felt as if she was holding a wounded bird in her palm. Seeing one of the most precious archaeological artifacts that have ever existed in this condition not only angered but also hurt her as if her own skin was the one burned by those blasted flames! A piece of history and childhood dreams was wounded that day and that should be considered illegal if you asked her!

"Don't despair, Lethy, it's not that bad. Most of it is fine, we can work with what we've got perfectly" said Lily, trying to comfort her friend.

"My point exactly. Thank you, Lily" said Evelyn. "We have everything that we need. As far as the missing piece is concerned, you don't have to worry about it, because it will be back in our hands soon enough" she assured, a confident look in her eyes, and then went back at gazing at the buildings rolling by thanks to the quick, constant moving of their automobile.

Evelyn had already told them the story of how Dr. Bey dismissed Hamunaptra as a myth and accidentally damaged the map, resulting in their current situation: they had to go find the original discoverer of both the puzzle box and the map in order to try and persuade him to lead them to Hammunaptra.

"Where exactly are you taking us, Johnny boy?" asked Lethy curiously and suspiciously. They had left the main road behind them half an hour ago and had now entered one of the lowest and rarest traveled parts of the city - and for a good reason. "Um...well..." the only male Carnahan stammered and scrambled for the right words. "Ah, Lethy" Stiles, instead, was the one who took it upon himself to speak the difficult truth and take Jonathan out of that sour position. He nudged at Lethy's shoulder and the young woman turned around to look at whatever he wanted to show her. "I think I can answer that" the boy stated.

Lethy's eyes widened and her jaw dropped to the carpeted floor of the car. She didn't need any further explanation, she could answer her own questions at the moment. She could easily identify the great tall building looming over them that looked like a box of metal, was surrounded by protective fences, possessed armed security all around it and frenzied voices were coming from inside it. "YOU'VE BROUGHT US INTO A PRISON?!" both Carnahan ladies yelled in bewilderment and outrage at the exact same time. Jonathan simply grinned awkwardly like a kid that was just caught cheating on an exam.

 _Un-freaking-believable!_

* * *

"Step over the threshold! Welcome to Cairo Prison, my humble home!" said the prison warden, a way of greeting as he opened the gates and inserted the Carnahan siblings and their friends into his stinky, foul world of human scumbags and criminals. Since her senses were on high alert, due to the excessive uneasiness a place like this caused her, Lethy was able to capture every detail of her surroundings and create a vivid image in her mind. The prison smelled like dirt, sweat, blood and lots of other terrible, horrible things that she didn't even wanna think, let alone name in her mind, thus actually acknowledging their existence. Guards could been seen on every corner, watching over their assigned area like hawks, while some others were _escorting,_ to put it mildly, from one section of the prison to the other and from the open courtyard back to their dark, gloomy and unsanitary cages. The rest of the prisoners that were still out and about were busy fulfilling assignments, such as packing various products like vegetables and fruit, in order to make themselves useful and perhaps gain some time off their sentence due to good behavior. And yet, they still made time so as to throw the girls dirty/inappropriate looks. To that Lethy responded by simply showing off her knives and baring her teeth as if saying 'mind your own business buddy'. Thankfully for them, most of the scoundrels were smart enough to head her warning so she didn't have to cut off anyone's head - yet.

A few steps away from her, Stiles and Lily walked side by side, their hands discreetly entwined in a protective hold, while their second set of fingers was clenching the hilts of their pistols over the fabrics of their clothes. Of course Lethy wasn't the only weapon expert in the group; her friends were top notch gunslingers - you can always use a couple of those while traveling around the world and encountering the impossible in every corner. Let the situation be clear, though, that he wasn't the one protecting _her_ ; they were protecting _each other_ , that's how it has and will always be for the two of them: two equal strong forces of nature offering each other back-up when it was needed. That's the way it is - and that's how it _should_ be. Lethy couldn't help feeling proud of them.

"I swear to God, Jonathan" the youngest Carnahan girl growled aggressively, shaking her head and rolling her eyes in annoyance "out of all the stupid shits you have done over the years, this one has got to be the absolute _stupidest_ of them all to land us in a place like this"

"You told me that you got in on a dig down in Thebes" Evelyn hissed angrily at her petty and dishonest brother, one arm wrapped vice-like tightly around his slim bicep while she cling to his side like a frightened child or a baby koala against the track of a tree. Lethy couldn't blame her sister, though. This place was a true and undisputed hellhole, filled with Cairo's worst criminals and lowlifes. It was no place for a soul as tender and delicate as Evie. She was a lady after all! "Yeah well I was mistaken" said Jonathan nonchalantly and casually as if he had used that excuse a thousand times before and was excessively acquainted to it by now. Still, it was a pathetic method to cover up his lie. Lethy shook her head once again, this time chastising herself. She should have seen this coming from a mile away. Her brother - no matter how much she cared for him - was a pathological liar for heaven's sake! Neither she nor Evelyn should have ever believed what he had told them. Now this whole mix-up could lead them to enough trouble to last them for ages. "You _lied_ to me!" Evie accused, her words dripping poison and her eyes shooting daggers at the thin man.

"I lie to everyone! What makes _you_ so special?" he shot back.

"I'm your _sister_!" Evelyn stated heatedly, pulling forcefully at his bicep and stabbing his suit jacket with her fingernails. Lethy loved seeing big mama go all furious at the little rascal! It was the most entertaining sight.

"Well that just makes you more gullible" was his last line of defense.

"Jonathan, you stole it from two drunks at the local Casbah!" Evie pointed out.

"I picked the one's pocket, actually" Jonathan corrected half-heartedly and in a scared up whisper, his head bowed as if afraid of being heard and possibly paying the consequences for his actions. "Oh that's just better now, isn't it?" Stiles deadpans from the background. "This is all just bloody fantastic" said Lethy in a furious rant. "Not only did you mingle with criminals, but you were dumb enough to _steal_ from one! What the hell have you been drinking that night, Jonathan, that made you lose your wits that spectacularly? Mark my words, brother: if that guy decides to mess with us, because _you_ screwed him over, I'm gonna skin you alive and sell you as a throw rug at the market".

At this point Jonathan didn't know who to fear most - his sister's wrath, or the reaction he would get from the guys that were doing jail time at the moment when they'd find out that he stole their treasure.

"I admit I made a mistake, I think we've all understood that pretty clearly. Which is exactly why I think we should go now..." he said and made a move to get away, but Evie's grip was too strong on his bicep and managed to pull him back. "Jonathan please stop being so ridiculous" she said as she set him back on his original course - straight ahead and towards the cage that served as a communication point between the prisoners.

"So, what exactly are these men in prison for?" Evie asked the warden as they came to a stop in front of the old, rusty and dusty barred cell. "Well, this I did not know. But when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself" the warden admitted before yelling to his workers to hurry up in native Arabic. At the exact same moment, the sound of rattled chains, human - more specifically, _male_ \- grunts of anger and discomfort along with a great deal of fuss echoed from the other side of the locked door that separated from the inmates. Lethy instinctively took a step back and clenched the handle of her dagger more firmly, just like she did whenever she felt she was about to encounter a great threat or a new kind of danger. The sounds coming from the other side of that door were extremely unsettling. They made her think of circus animals or lions in captivity that were roughened up backstage before the big show in order to come out angry and blood-thirsty, looking more menacing and for some strange reason more _entertaining_ for the crowd's appeal. Lethy didn't feel entertained at all at the given time; she felt on high alert. "And what did they say?" Evie asked to know once again.

"They said they were just looking for a good time"the warden replied and as if on cue the door burst open and the prison workers came out, dragging by force two men in chains along with them. They smacked them roughly against the bars, revealing their faces to their audience.

The sight Lethy came acro once she gazed upon the faces of the two prisoners made her breath hitch in her throat, a gasp to escape her plump lips, her eyes to widen in shock and her heart to skip several beats.

It wasn't the prisoner on the left that stirred up her interest like that - although he did earned Evie's special attention. He was tall and looked to be around her sister's age. He had a buff figure, a tousled and messed up mane the color of sunrise and hazel eyes that were now looking at them full of rage - it wasn't directed at them, but at the men who were now abusing him. His dirty, beard-covered face was contorted in a hissing grimace, reminding Lethy once again of a caged wild animal that was being treated remorsefully by his captors and that made it mad. He might have been an interesting and shocking picture to behold, but not as much as his fellow jail-timer.

He was the one that had made Alethea Carnahan forget her surroundings and lose her breath for the very first time in her 23 years of living. Her eyes drunk his form in hungrily, not missing a single detail as they memorized his image for the records. He was as tall as his alleged companion (maybe a bit more, if she weren't mistaken), with wide, broad shoulders, a pair of extremely muscled arms, a well-built torso that spoke of a lot of strength and an overall really ripped and well-defined physique that any man would be envious of and every woman would lust after _. Or at least that's what I assume_ , she thought to herself trying - and failing - to cover up the fact that she had just allowed herself to make unreasonable thoughts and get completely carried away by a guy she didn't even know to begin with. His face was framed by an equally long, ruffled up and untamed mane of jet black hair, but that didn't hide away the fact that his features were of the most chiseled and handsome Lethy had ever seen upon a man's face. Tanned complexion, expressive eyebrows, a lean straight nose, a strong jaw that looked as if cut out of marble covered by a jungle of black beard - which she considered to be quite appealing on him - and the most seductive pair of lips she had ever seen on a man. They were full, with a lovely slight and discreet shade of rose, looking as if Cupid himself had helped designing them for the sole person of enticing women.

Even under all that hair, all that dirt and prison filth, even with that menacing look upon his fair features that makes him look like a caged wolf ready to attack the moment he is unleashed...he is the most handsome man Lethy has ever encountered.

But then their gazes lock and the sky comes crushing down on Lethy's head. His eyes...they are the most vibrant shade of green she has ever seen! Not exactly emerald...more like the color of forest trees during their summertime peak. It is beautiful but that's not the only thing that makes them distinct. There's an unspoken intensity burning within them, a fire that shimmers powerfully, an approaching storm that captivates her. They are alluring, they pull her in and don't let her escape by any means. They are like verdant vortexes: hypnotizing, dizzying, undeniable. She knows those eyes, they are so very familiar to her...and then it clicks! That sensation, that feeling of total and complete captivation that she feels just by looking at them...she recognizes it! She has felt this way before and in numerous occasions - but only in her dreams!

She knows exactly where she has seen those eyes, she knows to who they belong to. The man from her dreams!

* * *

 _Well fuck us and fuck our luck!_ is the only thing Derek has been thinking on repeat since they found themselves stuck in this disgrace of a hell hole a couple of weeks ago. Being locked in a Cairo prison cell leaves you with minimal options regarding past time activities so the usually brooding and grumpy former legionnaire - it's called self-awareness, folks; stop looking so surprised at the thoughts going through his head - decided from early on to spend the little time he has left with scowling, brooding some more and cursing whatever kind of fate figured it'd be a good idea to be a bitch on them and land them in this mess.

And how had they gotten themselves in this situation in the first place, you ask? Well...it had started like all colossal disasters usually start. With a night of immoral fun and uncontrollable drinking.

After wondering for days without end, the two friends eventually found their way back to civilization through the endlessness of the desert. The days of bleakness were soon replaced by days of boredom at the local hospital facility due to their excessive dehydration, exhaustion, burned complexions etc etc. And by 'theirs', it's obviously meant that Rick is the only one in reference since Derek was in a near perfect condition when they arrived at the hospital. Said fact caused many of eyebrows to raise and even more unwanted curious, but also suspicious, looks to head towards Derek's direction. That angered him greatly, he hated being treated like a freak of nature all the time, but thankfully no heads were dropped. After they were released, Derek and Rick were feeling the need for having some fun and letting loose really strong pumping through their veins. So they hit the first pub they came across, had a few drinks and shared war stories with the rest of the attending former soldiers. Things were going smoothly...until Rick got really drunk and, in the midst of his intoxication, some punk picked his pockets, stealing their only worth-while token from that blasted mission with the Legion. Derek didn't get a good look at his face but he recalled his scent, his sense of smell being one of his strong attributes and a hell of a useful tool when you are scouting for enemies - or in this case, for little thieves.

Derek attempted following him, but then he accidentally bumped on some drunken asshole with a macho attitude that didn't know how to pick his battles. Long story short, the dickface took it as a personal offense to his person and started a bar fight which resulted in Rick and himself getting arrested for disruption of public silence and for assaulting an officer of the law. To their defense, though, plenty of punches were thrown and they were both on battle mode at the time so they were fighting off whoever was getting too close to be considered friendly. They didn't know that the guys they punched across the face last were with law enforcement, it was all just a big chaotic sea of limps and raw tension that completely overwhelmed all of their other senses - including the one for common logic. By the time they figured out what they had done, it was already too late for they were already being transfered to the nearest prison facility with both of their hands tied behind their backs. Rick was the lucky one, he was still partly drunk when all of this was taking place. Derek's extreme healing ability didn't allow him to get sick, intoxicated or have his sharp senses softened by any way. So he had to deal with all of this shit fully sober and hella pissed off. It wasn't a fun experience after all.

So here they are now. God knows how long later, rotting away in a steal enforced cage with no way of getting out or escaping the terrible fate that awaits them - death at the end of a noose. It didn't come as a surprise, though. The laws of this country are pretty strict and cut-throat, once you find yourself in a place like this there is a big chance you'll end up being hanged as well. What _did_ came as a surprise, was when the warden came into their cell this morning, announcing them that they had visitors. People coming to see them was the last thing either of them was expecting to ever happen. None of them had any family left and their only friends were each other so they couldn't really imagine who else would want to see them. Their confusion didn't last long though, 'cause they were soon being dragged out of their miserable accommodation by the guards pulling at the chains that were binding them. Derek hated this part the most; it made him feel like a fucking carnival attraction and his inner animal howled and thrashed in fury at the mistreatment it was receiving. Soon causing him to start growling at the guards and struggling against his restrains as well - looking more and more like the animal he knew deep down he truly was.

Soon, a bright white light he hadn't seen in a while struck his eyes and bit at his disoriented irises with a ferocity like no other. The sun. Derek had both missed it and despised it at the given time. Another kind of pain and discomfort came to the mix when he felt his body being shoved forward and his chest coming in forceful contact with two metal bars - they had been lead to the outer cage where the prisoners were put in order to talk with their visitors, he realized. The blow against his ribs did hurt but it wasn't strong enough to even leave him a bruise thanks to his advanced healing ability. His first instinct though was to grab a deadly strong hold of the bars, show his teeth menacingly and growl aggressively, mostly in order to show his defiance and killer rage at the guards that were manhandling them as if they were bags of garbage. But once his eyes got used to the sunlight and his vision took in the sight that was laid out before him...his animalistic mask fell to the floor, replaced by a look of pure astonishment and shock, and his heart - the one that was stronger than a horse's - stopped beating momentarily.

 _It was her! It was really her!_ He couldn't believe his eyes. He blinked several times trying to send the tricking vision away but even after the 8th time he did it, she was still there, staring back at him with those dark mysterious and utterly enchanting eyes he couldn't get out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. It was truly her, the girl from his dreams, in the flesh! Only a few feet away from him, so close he could reach out and touch her...or at least he _would_ if it wasn't for those damn bars separating them - now he had a whole new reason to hate them. She looked exactly like in his dreams. A naturally tanned complexion with a lovely bronze color that made him think of goddesses and sculptures carved out of gold; high cheekbones, hollow cheeks, generally soft, expressive and absolutely harmonic features that should be on a painting; two seductively shaped cat-like eyes in the color of black ink or molted dark chocolate that he just wanted to drown himself in, staring at them for all eternity if only he was allowed to. All the nights he spent gazing at those pieces of ebony as he made love to her are _painfully_ clear and alive in his memory, the vivid details almost killing him to recall. Such as the way they seemed to sparkle when she would come undone in his arms or the sheer, unbidden love and adoration that filled them every single time. It was simply brutal, the force of these memories hitting him more violently than any other whip or lash he has endured over the past few weeks in the wretched place. It was even more brutal when he had to deal with having dreams about her while being confined to a tiny space with Rick right next to him. Oh the teasing he got for moaning in his sleep like a horned up monk who hasn't had a cunt around his dick in ages - a pretty accurate description of Derek's condition except from the fact that he hadn't joined any coven yet.

Even though he adored her amazing eyes, the lips were his favorite attribute of hers. Full, lush and always dusted by a light shade of red. He remembers them being really soft too all the times that they had shared lustful kisses in his dreams. He would like to taste them again, see if they felt the same way in real life - he bet they did. He craved to kiss and bite them the way he remembers she loved...He wanted to feel them against his skin, setting his entire being ablaze and driving him mad with want.

He craved to see her body in all of its nude glory once again too. Despite it being now covered by a total of light and fashionable clothes - _how good she looked in green...it contrasted her eyes and brought out the beauty in them,_ he thought - he could tell that it was exactly like it remembered it. Wide hips, a slim waist, long unending legs and a pair of full breasts. Yeah she had a gorgeous body. He wanted to map it out with his mouth, tongue and teeth. He longed to feel its feather-light weight against his arms and fill his hands with the softness of her skin. He desired to make her quiver, shake, scream and fall apart by his own ministrations, make her experience pleasure like never before. He wanted to...

 _Wait...she had her hair up!_ That was the first time he had ever seen her wearing her hair up. Usually her beautiful, long, wavy, black as a raven's plumage locks were laid out on a silken pillow like a halo around her head; or tangled up in between his fingers; or cascading like a waterfall over his head as she rode him to ecstasy. He had to say that he liked the new look as much as he did the rest. And he had already started imagining ways he could turn it into a new erotic plaything.

"Who are you?" Rick's voice boomed, disturbing the serenity of his fantasy and returning him to the real world. As a reply to that nuisance he growled with a semi-loud growl. "And who's the broad?" the sly remark coming from his friend made him roll his eyes a bit exasperatedly but he was used to his companion's ways by now to truly be concerned by them.

Rick pulling him out of his thoughts, though, had an advantage. It allowed him to fully acknowledge for the first time that he and his dream girl weren't at all alone - despite the fact that it felt like it when their gazes met. And to fully acknowledge the familiar scent that was now tingling his nostrils. He was so pre-occuppied with admiring the strange girl that all of his other senses became overwhelmed and forgot to focus on anything else. He knew that he had scented that smell before...but where?

The dark-haired beauty had come along with another young girl and a boy around her gaze, both of which were obviously armed, their chemo-signals reeking of alarmness and were looking at him and Rick like they were wild lions rattling against their cage's bars. Next to his girl was standing a petite young woman that shared many of her features, like her bronze skin, dark eyes and brunette mane. _A sister, perhaps?_ She was also the one Rick, not so gallantly, referred to as 'the broad', something which obviously confused and upset her - he could detect it in both her chemo-signals and the contortion of her face. Said young woman had one arm wrapped around a scrawny fancy dressed fella that reminded him of a mouse cornered by a cat in the way his shoulders hunched and his body recoiled away from the cage as if expecting the animals inside it to bite his head off. He reeked of fear and anxiety like a sinner on confession day.

* * *

All the heavy aroma of his piled up emotions concealed the undertone of cheap after-shave and cologne that Derek had smelled that day at the pub when they got arrested, preventing him from making the identification just yet.

* * *

When the meek little man eventually decided to carry up his courage and approach them, he tried to seem nonchalant, big and important; but the stutter in his voice, the awkward smile and the fidgety movements he made when he spoke gave the exact opposite impression. "I-I-I'm-I'm...I'm just a local missionary chaps, spreading the good word around. And these are my sisters, Evie and Lethy, and our traveling companions, Lily and Stiles" and with that being said, Jonathan pushed Evie forward and hid behind her like a scared naughty kid in front of a strict teacher. Lethy rolled her eyes disapprovingly and exasperatingly before deciding to take a step forwards herself. She didn't want to let her sister handle these men all by herself. Despite the fact that they were locked up - and the sizzling stark green gaze of the dark-haired one that made her feel all kinds of hot and inflamed, along with a strange case of familiarity and intimacy that she had never experienced before with any other man in her life, fair or hideous, real or not - she still hadn't gotten any indication that they were harmless. Since they hadn't proved themselves worthy yet, they hadn't earned her trust. Bottom line, she had every right to be vigilant and careful of them. Her hard, cold and emotionless mask she uses to wear around possible antagonists, though, softens and melts little by little, like a candle burned out by a tender flame, the more she stares back into those gorgeous, glimmering verdant fields.

Evie, on the other hand, has no problem with showing a friendlier side and approaching the bees - or in this case, the starving wolves - with a pot of honey instead of vinegar. "How do you do?" she greets them, a light smile adorning her lovely shaped lips. The guy on the left, the one with the honey-colored mane, gives her a blank once over and _dares_ to comment with a semi-disappointed and utterly outraging voice: "Yeah, well. I guess she is not a total loss".

Both Lethy's and Evie's jaws drop to the ground, their faces reflecting nothing but disgust and offense - okay, perhaps Lethy is steaming a bit at the moment, but that's just minor details. In the background, Lethy can hear Stiles muffling his mouth with his hand in order to disguise his snickering and Lily stabbing him with her elbow to the gut, instantly causing him to groan in discomfort and for his laughter to cease. _That's my girl_ , she thinks proudly for a brief moment before allowing her rage to consume her being once again. "I beg your pardon!" / "You listen here, buddy!" both women are about to express their complaints when they are interrupted by the warden's shouting at some of his guards.

After the annoying short - no pan intended - fuse of a man takes his leave, Lethy is about to revive her attempt at giving the insolent scam a really big piece of her mind but - astonishingly! - she is beaten to it by none other but his own companion! Lethy is left completely and absolutely stunned as she watches the young dark-haired man deliver a heavy smack to the back of his friend's head - the latter wincing in pain at the force of the blow and uttering a silent 'what the hell?!' - and practically growling at him: "Don't you 'what the hell' me. Dammit man! No more than a month have we been locked up in here and you have already forgotten how to talk to a woman!". He turned his attention - and his smoldering eyes once again - to the people beyond the bars, addressing his following words to the two insulted women in particular. "You must forgive my friend, ladies. I'm afraid his mind has remained to the Neanderthal side of evolution" his words are smart, sophisticated and polite like a diplomats but his voice is dripping with melted caramel and cold wine, the sound of it electrifying Lethy's body and causing heat waves to erupt all over her body. She has to close her eyes, take a couple of deep breaths through her nose and clench her fists in order to prevent the threatening blush from taking over her face - she won't allow herself to look the tiniest bit flustered.

"What the hell are you doing?" she heard the guy who had insulted her sister whisper/hiss at her man - _Where the hell did that thought even come from? Get your act together girl, already!_ she yells at herself from the inside - but the latter simply glances at him with a stone cold, deadly serious, sharp as a knife look as if telling him: "I've got this. Let me do the talking". Now that was a man who truly radiated power and knew how to use it in the right way. Lethy felt a great deal of fascination and respect for these kinds of attributes in a male. And couldn't help herself but wonder how his powerful demeanor would translate in a venue like the bedroom...

 _Oh for the love of..._

 _NO!_ Lethy's voice of logic interrupts the frantic whining of her rational voice - they are two separate things, one makes sure you take the right decisions for yourself and for a better quality of your life while the other simply wants you to go along with the flow of normality. _You know what? Screw it! So what's the matter with me being attracted to him? I'm a fully grown, mature enough, intelligent woman. I can have whatever kind of thoughts I please and admire a man's looks no matter who he is, it is my right and privilege as a red-blooded human being and I will not allow anyone to shame me for taking advantage of that, not even my own self - especially not her. Besides! It's not like he is a serial killer or a rapist. If anything...he strikes me as a...really nice guy. At least from the little I've known of him. And maybe he is. Maybe he truly is just a good guy who got into the wrong type of trouble. But even if he isn't a total saint it doesn't matter. Beauty is to be admired or else God wouldn't have put it there nor would he have graced us with such a gift. Not appreciating should be considered the worst kind of hubris._

 _Bottom line, I'm attracted to him. I've acknowledged it, I've accepted it and I like it very much. Rest of the world, deal with it!_

"I suppose that makes you the most gallant of the pair" Lethy inquired teasingly, a side-smirk now making its appearance upon her Michaelangelo crafted face. The time for cold and unapproachable was over; time for her to reveal her confidence and cunningness, both of which features could, and had been proven very useful weapons in many occasions. The man with emeralds for eyes turned to her and offered her a smirk of his own. But it's not a flirting smile nor a challenging one. No, it's something entirely different. Lethy recognizes the kind as a smile of acknowledgment; a strong, smart and confident character acknowledging one of his own - someone equal to him - and greeting him as such. "I might not be an Oxford scholar, princess, but I can still make good use of my tongue" him saying that was all he needed for Lethy's mind to start wandering again into dangerous, dark and sinful territories. "Which is exactly what I'm doing right now by apologizing on both of our behalves for offending you" that time he was addressing to Evelyn as well.

"Well...thank you for your politeness" said Evie in her usual timid way. "You can consider yourself forgiven, Mister..."

"Hale. Derek Hale" he replied. _Finally. Now I have a handsome name to go along with the face_ is all that came to Lethy's mind. "Charmed" the youngest sister declares, still smirking deviously. "Likewise" he responded with an equally strong look of his own. "And this is my partner, Rick O'Connell" he said, nodding to his left. "Hey" was all Rick said, a bit stiffly too - understandably.

"Ask them about the box" Jonathan, seeing that they were once again in good terms with the imprisoned men, found the chance to whisper at his sisters suggestively. And so Evelyn did. "We-we...hello? Excuse me!" she has to re-capture Rick's attention for this. The man in chains turns his head lazily to look at her, an intense look of agitation and annoyance covering his face like a veil. "We have found your puzzle box and we've come to ask you about it" she states, her voice soft and kind, her lips stretched up by a sweet smile.

Somehow, Evelyn's statement is all it takes for Lethy's and Derek's intense staring contest, in which they've been engaged for the past couple of long seconds, to end abruptly and unceremoniously. "No" says Rick flatly.

"No?" Evelyn questions, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"You came to ask us about Hammunpatra" Rick elaborates, once again in an emotionless tone. But even with his stiff and dry like a dead man's bones attitude, his words manage to extract an intense reaction out of each and every single member of the group, all of them showing undeniable interest at what O'Connell had to say.

* * *

"How did you know that the box would take us to Hammunaptra?" his girl's sister - Evelyn - asks to know in a hushed whisper like a conspirator, an intrigued and rejoiced smile now lighting up her whole visage.

"Because that's where we were when we found it. We were there" this time, Derek is the one who drops the stunning revelation, causing all eyes to attack his form. Both sisters now stare with intrigue at their according selected roguish prisoners, whilst the two youngsters of the group are left dumbfounded and with their jaws agape as a result to the sudden, astonishing revelation.

 _The brother must have dug up some balls after all_ , Derek thinks as the skinny, wannabe aristocrat of a dweeb who previously introduced himself as Jonathan now approaches their cage and drops to their current height in order for them to share direct eye contact. "How do we know that's not a load of pig swallow?" he inquires, this time sounding far more serious than any other time. Derek was right, he had retrieved his spine somewhere along the way and now there was no trace of fear or stress in his voice or his scent. Too bad for him, 'cause now without the emotions of dread and anxiety overpowering his natural scent and concealing his true identity Derek is able to pick up on it and recognize it as the smell of the scumbag who picked Rick's pocket at the bar while he was drunk, thus setting in emotion the entire chain of events which eventually lead them to this very place! "Do I know you?" Rick asks Jonathan, his eyes squinting in concentration and his finger pointing almost accusingly at the man in question. Fear and cowardliness make their appearance once again in his wardrobe of chemo-signals but it's already too late, Derek has already made the identification and he is pissed as hell at the results that came up. Something which can be seen in the way his beautiful face contorts in the same mask of anger in which he was introduced to them and his entire body goes on momentary battle mode.

"Uhhh...no! No, no, no! I just have one of those faces..." Jonathan is interrupted mid-sentence and the awkward teeth-full grin that momentary appeared on his lips as a sign of emotional reflex is immediately wiped out by Derek's fist connecting with Jonathan's face in the form of a violent blow. "That's for stealing from my friend, you piece of shit!" he hisses aggressively like a mad wolf but his demonstration of power / act of justice is quickly dismissed by the sting of pain on his shoulders caused by one of the guards clubbing him with his stick roughly across the upper back. Said guard mutters something in Arabic about him behaving himself or something but all Derek can do is his - this time out of pain. "What happened to the whole behaving civilly bullshit?" Rick inquires whisperingly. Derek simply replies to him by growling in warning as if telling him: "bite me or I swear I will".

* * *

Jonathan falls to the ground like a sack of potatoes, letting a groan of pain escape his lips at some point. Lethy simply looks down at her brother's form with a blank expression. "Told ya brother. You were gonna get into trouble for being such a little shit" is all she says to him. She was actually expecting this to happen; not the punching necessarily but some sort of payback for his misdoings was certain to occur in her books. That wasn't the first time Jonathan got his ass served to him from the people who had screwed over - she had done some serving of her own during those few yet _historical_ moments that her brother had really done her wrong or fooled her big time - so she honestly wasn't worried about him. He could handle it, considering he had handled bigger and rougher treatment in the past, so she wasn't _exceptionally_ concerned about his well being. Nor was Evie, if her expression-less, non fazed whatsoever face and her perfectly poised stance were any indications. Perhaps this time Jonathan will finally realize that he is a grown man and needs to take better care of himself, but that's not much of either of their concerns. Both sisters were more interested in finding out what kind of information the two men behind bars had to share with them at the given time.

They step over Jonathan's whimpering body and get as close to the bars as they can get but still maintaining a decent distance between them. "You were actually at Hammunaptra?" Evie questions, her excitement showing in the way her voice tremors. A big, bright and proud grin flashes on Rick's face at the sound of her question. In Lethy's eyes he looks like an investor who just scored a great big fat deal of money - like a man who just had his vital opportunity handed to him in a golden platter. She doesn't know how to feel about this look. "Yeah we were there" Rick replies giddily.

"You swear?" the oldest Carnahan girl asks, her expression serious.

"Every damn day" is Rick's reply.

"I can vouch for that" says Derek sarcastically and Lethy chuckles almost as a reflex.

"No...I didn't mean that..."

"I know what you meant" Rick interrupted Evie's sentence. "We were there. Seti's place? City of the Dead?" to emphasize his words, he makes a dramatic gesture with this hands and widens his eyes like a caricature.

"Could you tell _us_ how to get there?" Lethy inquires deadly stern, something which causes both men to look at her with clear surprise and doubt in their eyes. "Are these chicks for real?" Rick whispers to his companion as if he is actually thinking they can't hear him. "Damn straight we are" Lethy deadpans sharply and suddenly their measuring looks become more appreciative towards her person - especially Derek's, you could almost call him proud. "So I ask you again, gentlemen. Are you or are you not in a position to show us where to find Hammunaptra? And I mean the _exact_ location, boys. No more, no less. You see, we are the type of gals who are particular in our tastes. If you can't help us then we'll simply take off and be on our merry way while you simply stick here and rot. So what's it gonna be?". Okay now there was _definitely_ some heavy admiration glimmering in his eyes, she simply couldn't have misinterpreted that!

Rick and Derek share a long look that resembled a silent conversation between the two companions. After they were done, Derek let out a sigh and turned back to look at Lethy. "Look. You wanna know?" he asked her. "Well, yes! Damn obviously!" she replied as a matter of fact-ly. "Do you _really_ wanna know?" he pressed further with his inquires. "Yes!" Lethy confirmed once again. They hadn't realized it, but they were moving closer to each other as if by an invisible string pulling them towards each other, drawing them to a collision. "Okay then. Come here" says Derek, craning his finger in an inviting manner and beckoning Lethy to get even closer to him. She did so without a single resistance or inhibition preventing her.

At first, Lethy thought that Derek was simply going to whisper his information at her ear but instead of sharing what he had to say with her through a conspiratorial one-on-one...he gripped her jaw in his strong hand and kept her head in place in order for him to capture her lips with his own. Lethy is caught completely off guard and due to her surprise she is not really sure what to do or how to respond at first. But then his lips move against her own, feeling so soft and firm, and she simply melts like honey from a beehive right into his welcoming and securing palm. Their kiss probably lasts for merely three seconds and yet they are the longest she has ever experienced. It feels like so many things happen in such a short period of time - or at least that's how she perceives them. And in that surreal time loop she finds herself being entangled, she relishes in all the wonderful feelings that wash over her while her mind catalogs each and every detail for the sake of future dreams. It's been so long since the last time she felt a man's kiss, probably more than a year - not for any other reason except from the fact that she hadn't found a man that she truly desired in that time and her not wanting to waste her body and lust on someone less than worthy of her affection - and she wants to completely and utterly lose herself in the moment no matter how long it may last.

Despite not having received a man's touch in a long time, she can tell that Derek is a true master in the art of seduction. As Juliet once put it: "he kisses by the book". His ministrations are confident and expertly made, capable to cloud her mind with a fog of lust, to turn her body into a raging inferno and make her knees go weak.

Their lips are moving heatedly in a passionate dance of instinct and desire, their tongues colliding in a battle for dominance that neither of them really wants to lose or win, they just love the delicious sensation, the friction, the intimacy, the eroticism behind said touch. Many people have said that a really good first kiss feels like fireworks. Well...they are pretty much dead wrong. It doesn't feel like fireworks - at least not in their case. It feels as if a god damn supernova is erupting within your very soul, filling it with light and fire and warmth and the forceful intensity of a thousand suns.

* * *

Lethy's and Derek's first kiss felt like nothing either of them had ever experienced before. It was something so powerful, so overwhelming, so soul-consuming that left them both wanting more.

* * *

When they break apart, they are both breathless, their eyes half-lidded and dark with longing and their heartbeats ready to antagonize the speed of light. It could have been her imagination, overly fueled by all the raging hormones that are sky-rocketing at the moment inside her body, but Lethy could have sworn that she saw Derek's eyes flashing a cold steel blue. The same one she remembered admiring in her dreams whenever they would reach heaven together, panting and writhing in each other's arms. "Then get us the hell out of here!" Derek said, still holding her delicate face in his palm with a gentleness that contrasted both his demeanor and the strictness of his words. He had gone bad to meaning business, something which Lethy hadn't noticed due to the fact that she was still high on the rush of their kiss and the touch of his rough skin against her own soft one was making things to her that were utterly distracting. She didn't get to say anything back to him because at the exact same moment he had uttered these words the guards beat both him and Rick with their sticks once again, causing him to cry out in pain and let go of her. The loss of his touch was a heart-breaking one for Lethy.

The angry jail-keepers grabbed Rick and Derek forcefully and started dragging them away against their will. "You heard the man! Do it ladies!" was the last thing Rick said to them before being 'escorted' back to his cage along with his friend. "Where are they taking them?" Evie demanded to know while Lethy couldn't do anything but stand there, breath heavily and stare in stunned silence at the void that was now Derek's previous location. "To be hanged" the warden replied and instantly Lethy felt her heart sinking low in her gut. "What? No! You can't let them do that!" the desperate words were out of her mouth before she had any chance at stopping them. "I'm afraid I can and I will. Apparently them two had a _very_ good time" the hateful little man had the nerve to quip and Lethy felt rage burning hot in her chest.

"You okay, Lethy?" asked Evie.

"I will be when we get them the hell out of here" she replied but not a thought later she added. "Wait a second...Evie, please tell me that Stilinski did not witness any of what just happened" she nearly begged but then his always sassy voice echoed and she had to fight back a train of curses. "Oh you bet your perky ass sista that I did!" he yelled at her, arms crossed in front of his chest while his face was being illuminated by a goofy grin of mischief that would earn him a back-hand smack to the head once they were done with this place. "Shit" she muttered - what? She had every right to let one slip out.

She would deal with her imbecile of a best friend later. Now she had two dead men walking to save.

* * *

 **Alright guys! That's all for this chapter! The fun has officially begun and our two lovely leads had a very _steamy_ , if I may say so myself, first meeting experience. ;-) I'm really sorry that it took me a whole month to upload but unfortunately quality takes time to happen...XD I'd like to thank each and every single one of you who dropped a review, voted or simply flipped through the first two chapters. Your support and feedback not only makes my day but also keeps me going, gives me motivation to write and sustains this story. So if you wanna support it further I encourage you to drop a comment, vote, favorite, really anything! Feedback and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism are always welcome and very much appreciated! Thank you very much and see you guys on the next chapter!**


	5. Hanging By A Thread

**All right guys! Chapter 3 is here! An earlier update this time, which I'm very proud of if I may say so myself! :D :D Before we start I'd like once again to thank all of you who have supported this story one way or the other, through votes and adds and reviews... your support is such a driving force for both me and the story! So without any further ado, let's hop right into the latest chapter! Enjoy! :D :D ;-) ;-)**

* * *

The crowd of caged prisoners cheered and hollered like animals in a frenzy as Derek and Rick were being escorted on top of the hanging platform. A poorly constructed castle of wooden planks which creaked, shook and trembled like a man out in the cold with every step they took across its wide expanse was placed in the middle of the prison's courtyard for this very reason; in order to provide the setting for this tragedy they were about to perform. If they were not stopped first, of course. And both Carnahan women were determined to put an end to this madness and rescue the gentlemen in distress before it was too late; be sure of that!

The guards that were keeping their arms tied up tightly behind their backs manhandled Derek and Rick, forcing them to walk by shoving them forwards with lots of brute force that was meant to both hurt and intimidate. Lethy was disgusted by the mistreatment and barbarity these men were showcasing and she felt her fist clenching around the handle of her blade as a reflex. The two men were lead underneath the according nooses that were hanging over the platform and were forced to stand within the empty space of their rings, awaiting for the necklaces of rope to close themselves around their strong, thick necks. With each passing moment that took them closer to the gruesome highly expected spectacle of the hour, it seemed as if the audience's screams were getting louder and the electricity in the atmosphere multiplying. The image of it all reminded Lethy of the roman gladiators' arena at the Colosseum. A mob of poor, neglected and desperate people who had no other way to entertain themselves or any other reason to appreciate life for when their existence was the epitome of bleakness, so they feasted on these grotesque shows their superiors were putting on for them. Men battling for their lives for the sake of maintaining general order and the mass was eating the whole thing up as if it was the sweetest of candies, cheering for the death of their fellow men even though they had been in their place not long ago. Despite the fact that the spectators could easily become the spectacle in a matter of seconds if the higher ups decided that this was what they wanted. Men always find it easy forgetting such minor details when it's not their head on the line, but they are quick to remember once they come across Grimm Reaper himself.

But this wasn't a battle. It was an execution. And Lethy wasn't feeling entertained whatsoever. Far from it. She was repelled, anxious and afraid. She had never tasted such an ugly and overwhelming cocktail of emotions before in her life, she had never found herself in a situation which would force her to experience all those things...and yet here she was now, having every single bad feeling in the book attack her all at once. Her reaction wasn't completely illogical, considering the fact that they were about to witness a pair of men being hanged, but it was the intesity of those emotions that truly baffled her! She couldn't explain it accurately...but there was something about seeing Derek Hale _in particular_ in this position right now - roughened up, chained and staring the icy presence of death right in the eyes with not a single emotion reflecting on his fair face - that made her extremely uneasy. Her stomach curled and her limbs trembled at the thought of his neck snapping at the edge of that rope...the dread that suffocated her at the mental image frightened her to no extend. She didn't wanna see the end of that ghastly show. She didn't wanna see him dead.

At the moment, she and Evie were accompanying the warden at his exclusive private viewing box that had the greatest view of the on-going execution - right across from the platform, such a perfect horizontal angle that Lethy and Derek could share a direct look if any of them dared to raise his gaze and look at the other. After finding out that the two men held the key for uncovering the location of Hammunaptra, the sisters were adamant about saving them from being hanged and including them as a valuable asset to their exploration. But they had to convince the man who held their lives in his hands to let them go first. So they had came up with a half-lie, saying that they were interested in watching the execution take place and of course the warden was more than willing to arrange things in favor of his - allegedly - wealthy potential patrons. It was just the two of them with the warden now, because 1) Jonathan was too much of a puss to stay in that place more than he was supposed to and 2) both Stiles and Lily trusted the Carnahan girls that they would be able to reason with him and get what they wanted, after all they were the two most diplomatic and convincing of them all.

"I will give you one hundred pounds to save this man's life" Evie told the warden from her place on his right, seated on a comfy chair while her sister is standing in between them. Urgency and anxiety are evident in her own voice as well. She isn't the least bit unaffected by what was going on, she knows the stakes all too well just like her sister. "Madame, I would _pay_ one hundred pounds just to see him hang" came the warden's discouraging, flat, deadpan reply. "Two! Two hundred pounds!" Evie was quick to throw her next offer, but the warden barely minded her! Instead, he simply and rather boringly told the guards to proceed with the execution. "Three hundred pounds!" Evie tried to prevent them from continuing, but the guards were already securing the ropes around the men's throats. Lethy's face grew pale and her heart started beating faster at the event taking place before her, her fear levels rising by the second. _God, please don't let it end this way._

* * *

The noose tighting around his throat caused Derek to groan and then growl at the short guard that was assigned with preparing him for his death. Probably these were the only times during which he got to feel strong in his otherwise miserable and pathetic existence and he was no shy at all in getting off on being the big and powerful guy for a change. Derek rolled his eyes and then satisfied his lust for blood by shooting daggers through his eyes at the small man before him. Thankfully, he was still a scary dude, even with the noose wrapped around him - for an instant there he got the impression that that made him even more intimidating - so he wasn't surprised when he saw the guard backing up a few paces after he had practically made him shit his pants with just a stare. Old habits die young, you see.

A groan on his left caused him to turn his head to the side just in time to see another jail worker putting the rope around Rick's neck too. "Any last requests, pig?" he asks in that broken accent of his. "Yeah, loosen the knot and let me go" Rick replies, venom and snark dripping from his mouth like resin from a pine tree, all signs of kindness having disappeared from both his face and voice. He assumed that this is how his face looked like too, if not even more cold and apathetic - that was the usual way, anyway. _That's how a man who is about to die, but hasn't given up yet, looks like_ , he thought. Only then did he fully grasp the reality of their current situation. They were going to be hanged and killed, this is how they would meet their maker. Derek never thought that this is how his life would end, but at least now he would finally get to give the big guy upstairs a piece of his mind for the hell of a life he and his friend had - the whole 'animal side and freakish powers' thing would be one hell of a heated conversation too.

He doesn't care to witness his life flashing before his eyes; he never found it to be that fascinating and it wouldn't offer him much comfort right now anyway. He doesn't find any use in praying to a God he doesn't even want to talk to right now. Nor lament, weep or beg the executioners for mercy as others would do in his place. Instead, for his big act of farewell he chooses to raise his gaze and meet those dark as coal eyes on the other side of the prison's courtyard. Her gaze is there to meet his - he doesn't want to admit that he expected it or that he even hoped for it to happen, for her to expect him to make the first move and receive him warmly - and they share a long lasting look that Derek is certain will accompany him to the afterlife. She looks worried, afraid even. _For me?_ he wonders but immediately dismisses that idea as soon as it appears in his mind. Why would she be concerned of him? Because he was gonna die? He's been close to death more times than it should be appropriate for any human being and no one ever gave a shit about him. _Except Rick, of course, but not even him ever looked that choked up about it._

 _She is probably not used to seeing this type of messed up shit and that has her on edge_ , he eventually concluded - but not even himself is convinced.

At the sight of Lethy, his mind immediately goes back to that kiss they shared. The softness of her lips against his own, the smoothness of her skin, the sweetness of her taste and scent...And that wasn't all. She hadn't frozen to place and simply accepted the kiss as if she was some sort of scandalized nun; instead she kissed him back! She had pressed her lips back against his, she had allowed her tongue to dance with his own, he had felt her letting out a moan that rumbled through his entire system and eventually landed on his lower abdomen like a hot piece of magma. She had shown to him that she wanted him back! She reciprocated! And she was confident and excited about it too. He can't recall any woman of his acquaintance ever doing something as sexy as this or even remotely close to this! He doesn't think that anything could ever top that kiss they had shared.

So, in the end, he isn't sorry about himself dying. Because at least he got to experience the single greatest kiss of his life with the woman who had been haunting his dreams for more than a year or so before kicking the bucket. In that moment he feels complete. He will salute Death while staring at those deep black eyes, with the memory of her vanilla taste lips and chocolate spice scent on his mind and a feeling of contentment settling in his chest.

* * *

After tying Rick up, the guard assigned to him turns to their direction, a mocking grin plastered on his face and speaks something in Arabic. "Is he mad? Of course we won't let him go" says the warden and then adds something in Arabic as well that Lethy assumes means: "carry on" or "kill him". Whatever it is, the guard hears it loud and clear and it satisfies him greatly. He lays a smack on the back of Rick's head and the man rolls his eyes in exasperation - Lethy shares those emotions.

"Five hundred pounds!" Evie cries out, still trying to make the warden change his mind. With every moment passing during which he is unrelenting to seeing them dead, Lethy feels her heart sinking lower and lower. At the sound of the last offer, though, the warden orders them to hold on a bit and immediately Lethy feels her spirits being lifted up. But then she notices the meaningful look the foul man gives her sister and all of her hopes go flying out of the window once again. _What's coming up next is definitely not going to be good_ , she thinks and she turns out to be right. "And what else?" he inquires before placing a hand on Evelyn's thigh - nasty intentions, confirmed "I'm a very lonely man". In the blink of an eye, Lethy has unsheathed her dagger and has placed it underneath the warden's chin where she holds it menacingly. "My sister is not a harlot for sale, buddy. So hands off, or you lose them both. And I don't think you'll want that, considering they are the only ones that'll ever give your cock attention" the young woman hisses threateningly and immediately the warden's hands are lifted in the air as if in surrender. Once they are off of Evelyn, her sister gives Lethy a stern look as if telling her to calm down and stop before compromising their negotiation any further. Lethy is reluctant, but eventually removes her blade from the warden's jaw and places it back in its sheath. With the corner of her eye she notices Derek giving her a proud and highly entertained look and... _is that a smile_?!

She doesn't get to admire it for long, though, because things turn bad really fast.

Lethy hadn't noticed it until now, but after having watched her demonstration of power over the warden, the jail-timers ensembled audience had started laughing and mocking at him, the air filling with their taunting jeers and the sense of cheerfulness that comes out of seeing someone you despise make a fool of himself. They were no longer invested in the spectacle of mayhem, they had something entirely else to entertain themselves with; the sight of a _woman_ of all people scaring their captor shitless! Immediately, dread overwhelmed the young woman's heart as she realized that she had humiliated the one man that could set Derek and Rick free and the terrible consequences that this action would definitely have on both their mission and those men's lives. And, tragically, she soon sees her fears coming true as the warden - either out of anger, or shame, or long for vengeance or just plain old boredom - yells out something in his mother tongue, pointing an expressive hand at the direction of the platform. Even though Lethy didn't have the knowledge to translate the intense words, she knew very well what they stood for, the meaning behind them sending jolts of fear down her spine and causing daggers of alertness to stab her heart as if they were made of physical metal.

"NO!" both Carnahan sisters cried out in both protest and fear at the same time. Evie shot up from her seat like an electrified jack in the box toy, while Lethy rushed to the edge of the balcony in order to get as close to the platform as possible - even though she knew she couldn't do much to help them from where she was standing, the instinctual action gave her the illusion that she could, offering temporary comfort to her jagged nerves. The jail worker pulled the level - rather gleefully, she may add - and in the blink of an eye, the trap doors had cracked open and both men had fallen off the edge, the nooses holding them up straining, and groans leaving their chapped lips as they hung by a thread. But instead of falling to their deaths, they simply dangled around like pendulums, groaning in discomfort at their current position. They were hung, yes, but they weren't dead! They were still alive, they were still breathing and fighting! _There was still hope,_ Lethy realized ecstatically. A sigh of relief left her delicate lips as she thanked every deity that was listening to her right now for sparing them.

"Ha!" the warden's voice echoed once again in the form of a cruel jesting laugh, interrupting Lethy's moment of bliss. "Their necks did not break!" he stated rather obviously. Seeing that, the rest of the prisoners attempted a mini riot as a way of protesting for the ruining of their gruesome fun. Thankfully the guards were able to hold them back, because otherwise they would most certainly strange Rick and Derek with their own bare hands just to have their lust for blood sated! "Oh, I'm so sorry. Now, we must watch them strangle to death" said the warden once again as the two men did exactly that; they struggled to liberate their necks from the ropes while both hands and legs were tied together and their oxygen levels were running low. Lethy couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene at the courtyard, her gaze exclusively glued to Derek's battling form as if hypnotized and compulsed to do so.

She only listened to the intense conversation that was taking place behind her at the time. "He knows the location to Hamunaptra" said Evelyn heatedly, throwing the last card she had to play in the table. "You lie" the warden dared to accuse her. "I would never!" Evelyn defended.

"I can vouch for that!" Lethy cried out in defense, without actually turning to look at the two people seating behind her. Her undivided attention was focused on the two struggling forms on the nooses.

"Are you telling me these filthy, godless sons of pigs know where to find the City of the Dead?" the warden asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Evelyn confirmed.

"Truly?"

"Yes!"

In the meantime, Rick's eyes were close to popping out of their sockets and Derek was growling like a dog choking by its leash. Lethy's heart was beating like a battle drum at the sight, worry fogging her mind with every moment that passed and they were not being let loose.

"And if you cut them down, we will give you... ten percent!" Evie promised.

"Fifty percent" the warden demanded in return.

"Twenty!" was Evie's next offer.

"Forty!" came the warden's contradicting offer. But the female was smart and decided to engage her opponent in a battle of wits. "Thirty!"she retaliated. "Twenty-five!" and the stupid warden fell right into her trap, losing the battle almost too easily - as it was predicted. "Ah! Deal!" Evie cried out victoriously - even though her sister couldn't see her face, she was certain that she was also smiling in triumph joy, and she had every good reason to do so. A proud smile tugged at the corners of Lethy's mouth as well. Her sister never failed to impress and astonish her with her intelligence and quick thinking. She was a true badass in her own way!

After a long pause, during which the warden no doubt was wrapping his brain around the fact that he was out-smartened by a woman, he eventually gave in and after letting out a sound of defeat and annoyance he ordered for Rick and Derek to be cut down. One of the workers used a machete to cut the ropes which were holding them off the ground and both men eventually found themselves landing on the hard gravel floor, though they were certainly not complaining, it was much more preferable than having their necks snapped in two by a piece of rough rope.

Lethy was joined by her sister at the edge of the balcony, both women smiling with pride and a sense of accomplishment as they looked down at the two men who were now owing their lives to them. "Well played sister" Lethy commented.

"Why thank you, dear. You were rather impressive too" said Evelyn.


	6. Can't Fight The Moonlight

**Hello once again my lovely readers! I'm so so soooooooooo sorry for the ridiculously long delay of my updates but these past two months have been hellish for me as far as obligations are concerned. Let's just say that reality got the best of me and I didn't have enough time to sit down and write the good quality content I wanted. But thankfully that's now all over and I'm back again with a new chapter! So without any further ado, please enjoy! 3 3**

* * *

The harbor was once again full of life and as busy as ever when Lethy and her companions paid it their most recent visit.

The scent of spices from the merchant booths at the local market, mixed with the smoke coming from the ships' ovens, created a powerful, almost overwhelming scent that surrounded Lethy like an aura of familiarity and vitality that always reminded her of home. The sun was too bright for anyone's liking on this or any other day spent under the Egyptian sky, but Lethy had gotten used to it by now. If anything, she enjoyed a the excessive brightness, since it was another thing that reminded her of her home here in Cairo, something which she always missed whenever she was away on an exhibition in some northern country full of clouds and chilliness, so she tried to soak it all up while she could. On her right and left, walking alongside her down the port's main path which lead towards the awaiting vessels, where her siblings and two best friends, all four of them packed with their according luggages and equipment cases.

Lethy was carrying her own personal belongings on either hand, whilst her twin blades were lazily nestling against her waist, the safety and strength radiating from their cool steel being all the comfort their owner needed in this heat-wave infested day. Thankfully her clothes were helpful enough too: a light fibered shirt the color of red flames raging on, paired up with a pair of traveling trousers and her favorite high-heeled boots - she loved to throw kicks in those, they always left the best impressions on the opponents underparts! But no sight of a hat or shawl to cover up either her head or her face; a) because as it has already been established she didn't mind the sun and b) because it wasn't much of her style - too conservative for her liking. Although, her beautiful locks that resembled waves of dark chocolate were gathered up once again in a loose side ponytail fish-bone style, just so it could offer some sort of air to her heated neck, while two lonely strands framed her face an elegant cornice to an even fairer painting.

"You really think they're gonna show up?" Evelyn, who was walking next to Lethy, turned to ask their older brother. "Yes undoubtedly, I know the breed. They may be cowboys, but their word is their word" came Jonathan's nonchalant response.

"Besides, Evie. Don't forget that one of them is sweet on our dear ol' Alethea, over here" says Stilinski, throwing his arm over said girl's shoulders, a wide shit-eating grin covering most of his lower jaw. In that moment Lethy seriously considered punching it off but decided against it - she was in no mood to get arrested today. So she simply flipped his arm off her shoulders, twisting his hand in her grip a bit until he squealed in pain like a little girl and then released him. "Will you drop it already, you sad excuse of an eight year old?" she spat at him, looking as exasperated as anyone would expect. Even though she had no problem admitting, both to herself and anyone who asked her, that she had developed an interest in the mysterious dark-haired man, she simply couldn't handle Stilinski's endless teasing! The kid was brutal! She would have slayed him already if she didn't love him as a brother - ironic, right? He simply wouldn't stop making fun of her newly developed attraction towards the hunky ex-convict and he was hell bent on driving her crazy! Lethy just hoped that Derek Hale was worth the torment.

Nonetheless, Lethy was excited about seeing him again. The thought of his charming half-smile putting her into a dream-like state every time. The memory of his dazzling eyes accompanying and haunting her every moment, waking or not. And the leftover feeling of his warm, full, manly soft lips against her own doing things to her body that even _she_ was too shy to admit publicly.

"Good luck at ever achieving such a miracle, girl" Lily comments on her friend's previous statement. "Well then help me, if you'd be so kind, darling" said Lethy. "We both know that he is way more likely to listen to you than he is to me. You have your Lily charm going on which seems to affect him just fine whenever you use it!" she pointed out and at the secret dig both Stiles and Lily blushed a dark shade of red, fell silent and started looking at odd opposite directions. Lethy wanted to smile at her little success - she knew that if she were to remind Stiles of his own little situation a-cooking, he would immediately cease fire - but she didn't. She didn't want her friends to think of her as bitter or mean or that she got pleasure out of tormenting them about this very sensitive subject.

"Well, to be completely fair, he is not entirely wrong, my dear sister. After all, you did kiss him" Lethy was completely taken aback by the fact that those words had just come out of her older sister's mouth - don't be fooled by the poised exterior, she is a cheeky sass master when she wants to be. "Evie!" Lethy hissed/growled at her sister, her eyes wide and yet filled with accusation. _So much for familiar support_ , the young woman thought. "What? It's the truth" she defended herself with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders, a seemingly innocent expression covering her face, being utilized as a mask to hide away the spunky smirk that was faintly coloring her lips. "That doesn't mean that you should encourage him!" Lethy reminded her.

Stilinski, in the meantime, was beaming with joy and mischief at the new chance that he was given to further mess with her head, his bravado renewed and his teasing smirk making its spectacular come back. Lethy simply rolled her eyes exaggeratively. "For the record, _he_ was the one who kissed _me_ " - _I simply kissed back,_ she thought but didn't say it out loud for the sake of saving whatever was left of her case. "Yeah, but you are the one who's wearing the exotic flowers' perfume and the shirt with the revealing cleavage" Stiles pointed out foxily, causing Lethy to blush slightly. Thank God for the extreme heat, she could blame the fluster to the weather. But she couldn't call this last statement a lie. She had indeed put on perfume this morning intentionally and chosen this blouse because it was the one more flattering of her best feature - at her humble opinion. She had done those things, because she wanted to look her best at the prospect of seeing Mr. Hale again. There was this strange, inexplicable, foreign power that run deeper than mere lust which made her want to be as desirable as possible for his eyes and sake.

Shaking herself out of her daze, she gathered up her wits and threw one final verbal blow at her male best friend. "I honestly don't know what's more concerning. The fact that you have been staring at my breasts or that you are concerned about the type of blouse and perfume I put on?". Thankfully, that one managed to shut him up. _Finally, success!_ she thought.

"Well, I don't know what's going on between you and Mister Hale, but I for one have to say that I don't like his friend _in the slightest!_ " says Evelyn. This time, all three members of the young group react incredulously and are in the mood for teasing.

"Oh please!"

"Yeah, right!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" came their synchronized replies.

"Oh yes I do!" Evie retorts before placing her suitcase on the ground. They had reached their destination - the ramp leading up to their boat - so the rest of the team did the same, disposing their luggages on the ground so as not to be bothered by their weight as they waited for their two guides. "Personally, I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit" Evie kept ranting about O'Connell at whoever was listening to her. "Anyone I know?" as if on cue, a deep and throaty masculine voice which most definitely belonged to the man in question echoed from behind them, causing them to turn around and face the new and improved Rick O'Connell. The former legionnaire - who they had first encountered covered in grim, wearing filthy rags and donning a mane that belonged to a cave man - now stood before them perfectly clean and freshly shaved, with a visage that sparkled with neatness, a perfectly styled haircut and an outfit of clean, fashionable clothes. Lethy had to admit that he was a fairly handsome man. But, still, he didn't hold a handle to his friend's looks - that guy was gorgeous even in his jail-timer appearance so Lethy could only imagine how dashing he'd look all clean and well-groomed.

Evelyn on the other hand was more interested in admiring the exceptional transformation of Mister O'Connell. With her jaw hanging open and her eyes wide in astonishment and awe she was the epitome of stupefied. But then she smiled awkwardly and stammered a shy 'hello' and Lethy just knew that he sister would soon be gone for this guy! What a great opportunity for Lethy to mess up with her a bit and enact her revenge for betraying her earlier. "Careful, sister, you have started to drool" she whispered teasingly at her Evelyn's ear, the latter one giving her a semi-playful nudge with her elbow to remove her teasing persona from her side.

"Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?" says Jonathan in a fruitless attempt to smoothen things up between him and the man he robbed blind. "Yeah. Smashing" says O'Connell dryly, grimacing slightly before reaching inside his jacket to check his pockets. Thankfully, when he draws back his hand his wallet is there, intact and safe as it should be. "Oh no I don't steal from my partners, _partner_ " says Jonathan, but Lethy pats him on the shoulder urgently as if telling him 'that's enough, don't dig your own grave more than you have already', thus preventing him from saying or doing anything - more - stupid. "Right, right" says Rick, but thankfully he doesn't make any attempts to further pressure the issue.

"Where's your companion?" the words have flown out of Lethy's mouth before she has any chance at stopping them, the impulsive action practically ensuring her doom. "He's just bringing our tools of profession" Rick offers a plain explanation. "Don't worry, Lethy darling. Your lover boy will be by your side shortly" Stiles blows the quip at her ear, but he backs away too quickly - before Lethy can punch him in the nose. "Lover boy...? Oh! I get it. You are the jokster of the group" Rick observes.

"I prefer the term 'the fun one', but I still thank you for the compliment. It's good to be recognized once in a while" says Stiles cockily.

"Oh I wasn't complimenting you kido; I was making the identification of the future dead man" says Rick dryly. "I should probably warn you that Derek has no sense of humor and zero tolerance for jokes, so you might wanna tone it down before he arrives. Or else you might find your head stuck in some place it really shouldn't be"

"Oh this should be fun!" says Lethy, smirking like a fox. "You are in so much trouble, Stilinski. I can't wait till you meet your match!". Both Lily and Evelyn giggle under their breaths in the background.

"You can laugh all you want, Carnahan. But know this! I sure as hell ain't afraid!" says Stiles in the fashion of an over-the-top bravado display. "I'm not scared of your little friend" he carries on, now addressing to Rick. "As a matter of fact, I'd like to see him try to beat me in a one-on-one combat. Oh I would so kick his ass!" Stiles kept going on and on with his own personal song of praise, but at the same moment that final line left the young boy's lips, a very distinct, very brooding, no-nonsense and cut-throat shadow loomed over him like a bad omen. "Oh, Stiles?" Lily tried to catch his attention, a grimace of alarmness and worry now covering half of her youthful, delicate face. But the boy in question paid no mind to neither her nor the menacing presence behind him. "No, I'm serious! Bring it on, Derek Hale, if you dare, and I'll show you how it's done the right way!"

"Stiles!" Lily tried stopping him once again but to no avail. As if his hubris wasn't already preposterous enough, he had the nerve/stupidity to add a little show of his so-called fighting skills to the mix. Don't get Lethy wrong for the comment, Stiles was an excellent sharp shooter, but when it came to actual physical combat he was as threatening as a limping noodle at the bottom of the ball. Also, his timing couldn't be any worse! "STILES!" this time, Lily's high pitched yell caught the young, cocky and slightly delusional boy's attention. Unfortunately, it was already bad enough, whatever damage was meant to be done had already left its impression. "What?" Stiles questioned and Lily indicated for him to turn around and see for himself, looking as if she had just noticed a lion in the savanna approaching.

Jonathan was looking at Stiles as if he had just seen something break and create a mess. Rick's expression was a simple, blunt, 'I told you so' mask, whilst Evelyn's was something between concern and contained laughter. Alethea, on the other hand, was smirking widely, shamelessly and unceremoniously, her eyes were twinkling with mischief and she was this close to combusting in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

Stiles slowly turns around as he was suggested by Lily, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as to why is everyone acting so oddly. Upon seeing Derek Hale in the flesh standing right behind him he lets out a high-pitched, almost girlish, freaked out scream of absolute terror! And just like that, all of his bravado gets whooshed away! Practically evaporated and lost among the wind. And Lethy is able to now laugh freely! "Uhhh...h-h-h-hi!" he stammered, his face and posture resembling a squirrel who had just encountered a wolf in the middle of the woods and had nowhere to run to save his life. "I-I-I wasn't talking...I didn't mean...what you just heard? I wasn't talking about you" he stammered, making one last effort to save his pale fragile skin and prevent the wolf from snapping a bite out of him. "Oh, is that so?" Derek inquired, arching a perfect ebony eyebrow in question and sarcasm. "How strange. I didn't know there was another man by the name of Derek Hale joining us for this trip" the older man quipped, wit and irony utilized successfully by their expert user. Lethy couldn't help watching him closely, it seemed as if everything he did was a form of art or mastery and she needed to pay attention.

"Yeah...well...you see..." Stiles stammered once again, but was interrupted by Derek's words. "I'm a little disappointed that you stopped, though. I was looking forward to you explaining _how it's done in the right away_ , as you put it" he snarked and Stiles was at a loss for words. "If you'd like, we can give it a go right now. Fair warning though, I tend to _bite_ " as if to emphasize his point further, Derek flashed his teeth and snapped his jaws together menacingly, causing Stiles to jump three steps away from the taller male as if afraid that he would actually rip his throat out with his teeth. "Good God...nah, I'm good...Yeah, I don't think this'll be necessary" the boy states lamely before doing the crab walk all the way behind Lethy's back, looking to protect himself behind the handy human shield. Lethy only smirked wider at the latest action. "Was that convincing enough for you to stop messing with me, or do you need further persuasion?" she inquired in a low yet taunting voice. "No, I'm good" he stated under his breath.

"Good boy. Now stay there before you hurt yourself" said Lily and then turned to Derek's direction. "Hi! I don't think we got the chance to get formally introduced, so allow me to remedy that. The name's Lily Jones and if you hurt any of my friends in any way, I promise to personally cut your testicles off and throw them to the Nile for the crocodiles to eat" she said and offered him her hand which he shook, a bit cautiously and timidly. It was always a fun time for Lethy whenever she would get to see her best friend - a young and not so very tall girl with a tiny figure and angelic features - bring older, bigger and tougher men than her into a position of great discomfort. It reminded her of seeing a mouse bossying a bear around! It was a truly humorous and even more remarkable sight! Times like this were the ones that made Lethy truly proud of her little friend - and they were a more frequent occurrence than many would assume. "Pleased to meet you" he said in a tone as if he was talking to a shark. Lethy glowed with pride whilst Lily offered him a cold, toothy, dangerous as any blade smile that really caused cold sweat to run down his spine - she assumed of course.

"Which reminds me" says Derek before aiming his gaze - that gorgeous, smoldering, piercing, green like the bottom of the clearest sea gaze - on Jonathan "No hard feelings for the..." he points at his face, obviously referring to the well-deserved punch which he served Jonathan the day before. "Oh no, not at all. It happens all the time" the sole Carnahan male replies nonchalantly . "Like you wouldn't believe! I swear it happens so often that we should start writing apology letters to whoever has ever bruised a knuckle because of Jonny boy over here!" Lethy comments teasingly, a little careless, non-performed chuckle being added at the end of her line.

* * *

At the sound of her song-like laughter, Derek's gaze snapped back to her and stayed there. It felt as if that was the first time he got to truly _see_ her till now. He had noticed her, of course, when he had arrived; it would be pretty damn impossible for him not to notice someone as exquisite as Alethea Carnahan. That red blouse wasn't doing much to help the situation either, the way it hugged the luscious curves of her body and brought the smooth and round beauty of her breasts to their ultimate glory was pretty much unlikely to escape his attention. He had to put a great deal of effort into not giving off the vibe of a perverted freak so after he allowed himself the luxury and privilege of admiring her marvelous body he moved his eyes upwards and eventually met her own gaze. Thankfully, the sight of her deep, dark, sweet like lakes of melted chocolate eyes was as pleasing as the one of her lovely figure. Maybe even more, if he'd be so noble as to allow his romantic side to take over and put the ravenous, lustful, beastly one to sleep. She was a true vision, once again, that much was a given and the ultimate truth he had come to know.

And judging by the foxy glint in her eyes, she thought he didn't look so bad either.

* * *

Oh Lethy was more than pleased by the sight she came across with once her gaze met with Mr. Hale's. She had to admit that he looked good, _real_ good. If she thought that he was a handsome young man before, with all the grim and dirt of being locked up in a Cairo jail cell tainting his clothes and chiseled features...he was a true Grecian God in her eyes right now! He stood before her, tall, proud and imposing like a magnificent stag. _Or a great wild western wolf,_ now that she thought of it. That description suited him better, a wolf seemed like a better fit to his countenance.

His hair and face were washed and cleaned to perfection, not a single brown mark staining his beautiful visage, allowing Lethy to admire his angular jaw, sharp bone structure and excellently symmetric facial features to their full capacity. He no longer donned the long ruffled up mane of a caveman; instead, his hair were neatly cut and styled to a short do that still had some rebellious spikes here and there, making him seem careless and untamed, as if he had just gotten out of bed - specifically _someone_ 's bed, and Lethy couldn't help wishing she were that someone. His outfit consisted of a gray suit jacket, a white undershirt, a pair of black trousers and the same boots as Rick. It was a nice ensemble, sophisticated and according to the modern fashion, but Lethy could tell by the pieces he had chosen that he wasn't much of a colors' fan - unlike herself. But thankfully that was a minor difference between them she was more than willing to look pass. Especially when said outfit show offed his athletic, muscular, desirable physique so nicely. And, of course, his eyes still sparkled like emeralds under the sun, giving the crystal clear Nile waters a run for their money in terms of beauty and clarity, and creating a lovely contrast between his raven black locks, slightly tanned complexion and stark white teeth. All in all, Derek Hale was a true work of art, a form worth to be eternalised in a painting by Michaelangelo himself. None of the statues Alethea had discovered over the years could hold a candle to this man, this gorgeous, alluring man.

Lethy was bold enough to throw a playful dare-say-flirting smirk his way when they were done eyeing each other up. Surprisingly, he responded with a half-smile of his own that counted as a small victory in Alethea's book. She had enough knowledge of the subject to know that courtship was a vast and unpredictable battlefield, but she had the patience and bravery to try and navigate it. And her motive, you ask? The feeling of absolute serenity she got whenever she looked into those forest green eyes. It was strange and, truly, difficult to describe, but when their eyes met she couldn't help feeling as if they were the only two people left on the planet. It was something unique and wonderful, like a warm candle flame burning between them. She sensed it back at the prison and she senses it now as well while being captivated by his smoldering green globes and secured into their private little world.

Nonetheless, along with their intense staring game, Alethea had the time to throw an ear at the conversation going on behind her, between her sister and Derek's companion.

"Mister O'Connell, can you look me in the eye, and guarantee me this is not some sort of flimflam?" said Evelyn. "Because if it is, I'm warning you -"

"You're _warning_ me?" she never got to finish her little threat, because she was interrupted by an incredulous Rick. Sure, Evie claiming that she could cause the bigger, stronger, ex-con/former legionnaire any sort of physical pain sounded strange, ridiculous and humorous even! To anyone - or actually any _man_ \- that didn't know Evelyn as well as her sister did. The woman might seemed timid and harmless, but you dare cross her and we'll see what happens then! Spoiler alert: you end up with your ego bruised and your manhood deflated - the ability to do that runs in the family, for your information. "Lady, let me put this simply. Our whole damn garrison believed in it so much, that without orders, we marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt _to find_ that city. And when we got there? All we found was sand and blood" says the former legionnaire, emphasizing the two final words of his statement as if two point out the desolation and devastation that came with discovering the City of the Dead. The ominous warning behind his words causes a shiver to run up Lethy's spine, but she shook it off. Said action caused the gazes of Lethy and Derek to finally unlock.

Lethy turned around just in time to catch sight of Rick climbing up the ramp that lead to the vessel, the gaze of her beloved older sister following his form in a dreamy, wistful way that instantly ignited a smirk upon Lethy's lips. Apparently she was correct; she was the only Carnahan sister that was enamored with a former legionnaire. "Yes, yes, you're right" Jonathan takes it upon himself to comment on said event as if he had just read Lethy's thoughts and figured out her intentions. "Filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel, nothing to like there at all" at the teasing tone that colored his voice a playful shade, Evie replied with a subtle, challenging glare, whilst Jonathan merely grinned at her innocently and foxily at the same time.

Lethy was about to make a comment of her own and contribute to the light atmosphere of the moment, but unfortunately she never got the chance, for that same light atmosphere was quickly evaporated due to the arrival of a certain piece of human filth. "A bright good morning to all!" says the warden in his broken accent as he brushed past them and got on the ramp, tipping his raggedly hat in an attempt to come off as charming - not in the slightest, but whatever. "Oh no" pretty much every member of their crew groaned out those exact words at the sight of the dirty fellow flashing a yellow smile at them. "What are _you_ doing here?" Evie questions exasperated at his presence - Lethy's sentiments exactly. "I have come to protect my investment, thank you very much" the warden replies and up the plank he goes. The Carnahan siblings share a look of pure discomfort but nonetheless follow the footsteps of the measly little existence and travel up the ramp too.

As she was walking up the plank, Lethy felt a warm breath caressing the skin of her cheek and a voice warm like wild honey kissing her ear, causing shivers and shakes to rattle her body all over. "You look ravishing" Derek whispered, low enough so as only her could hear him - and for the volume to ignite sinful thoughts within Lethy's very aware mind. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. It's truly remarkable to see what miracles a bar of soap can work" she - not one to show that she got flustered - said teasingly, a playful glint appearing in the charcoal depths of her cat-like eyes. Derek let out a low dark chuckle that was all manliness and bedroom mood. "You really need to watch that mouth of yours, princess. You never know what kind of trouble it can get you into" he said, and the wicked promise behind his words was more than she could handle. She knew all too well what kind of trouble he was talking about, the kind that would leave her breathless, her body covered in love bruises and her soul sated for days.

Once again, she wasn't gonna give up the fight that easily. So instead of allowing herself to blush and melt away into a puddle of all-consuming lust she turned to him, met those pale green eyes challengingly and with her chin held high and her voice low in a seductive purr she whispered: "If the big bad wolf wants to take a bite out of me, make sure to tell him that I like it on the neck" and with those words, she had strode those last few steps up the plank and had disappeared through the crowd as quickly as possible for she knew that if she were to face him again she would most definitely lose all inhibition and self-control.

 _This is going to be a really long trip_ , she realized with a long heavy sigh.

* * *

The journey down the river Nile had started out rather smoothly. By nightfall, they had managed to cover a good amount of distance and now the humble vessel was sailing peacefully across the inky blackness of the most famous body of water in the world. The same one that the ancient Egyptians believed that was used in order to transport the souls of the dead to the afterlife.

The moon and her children, the stars, had found Alethea sitting by herself in a private table by the side of the boat, lost deep in her own sea of thoughts. She had asked for some alone time in order to revise her notes regarding the research she and Evie had conducted about Hammunaptra. That was half a lie. She indeed needed to take a closer look at her notes, but she mostly wanted to clear her head and gather her thoughts. Too much time spent at the company of Derek Hale could only prove hazardous for many reasons. That man seemed to have a strange and irresistible effect on her, as if a magnetic pull was drawing them together, an invisible greater force that could not be comprehended nor seen by mortal minds.

Alethea found that phenomenon both fascinating and intimidating. She was used to being passionate both at her work and at her relationships, all types of them. She usually gave her all and offered the best qualities of her character _to those who she could tell_ _ **clearly**_ _deserved them._ As far as the rest of the world's concerned...she had in store the kind of behavior that she had only showcased around the warden. She is not by any chance a foolish or reckless woman - despite what many of the agitators think of her. If anything, she is smart and logical enough to know how to make sane judgments and brave enough to act on them accordingly. But what was going on between her and the dashing former legionnaire was beyond reason! That connection, that want and tension that existed between them and run deeper than the thickest of blood...that simply didn't feel natural or normal by any means. But still, it felt right to Alethea. It made her feel a warm and contenting sentiment that started out at her core and expanded across her entire body. It was nice and pleasant and oh so exhilarating! Which is why it both scared and thrilled her. But her gut was telling her that it was a good thing, that it was meant to happen, and her gut was always right. Whether she would choose to trust and follow it once again, only time could tell.

Lethy was in the middle of perusing a document about the treasures of Pharaoh Seti the First that were allegedly kept in Hammunaptra, when a loud _thud_ noise startled her out of her trance. A surprised yelp escaped her lips before she could do anything to take it back - a sound most humiliating which was more appropriate for a chipmunk rather than a mighty explorer - and she instantly felt herself growing hot with both embarrassment and anger. "What the hell-" the rest of the hateful words which she had carefully selected in order to harm whoever had dared to disturb her peace and quiet died on her tongue. The moment she turned around to face said person, she came face to face with none other but Mr. Hale himself. All blood lust abandoned her system when her heated dark gaze met his penetrating green one.

"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you" he said simply but still sounding apologetic. Lethy rolled her eyes and let out a sigh to calm down her nerves a bit. "If I weren't in such a generous mood today, I would have kicked your arse five ways to Sunday for pulling that shit" she said threateningly, an accusatory finger pointed at the direction of the well-built man - he had loosed the coat, so now she could admire his muscled arms more comfortably. Derek merely smirked at her. "Nah, I don't think you would, princess" he said.

"What? You don't think I'm capable of beating you up?" she questioned, a challenging brow arched to a perfect bow. "Didn't say that. I just think that you appreciate my ass way too much to do anything to harm it" he deadpanned before taking the seat opposite to Alethea, confidence and self-assurance coming so easily to him that made everything that came out of his smirk-quirked mouth sound like a well crafted retaliation. At the sound of his comeback - and the absolute truth of his words - Lethy's jaw went slack into a grimace of shock and challenged ego. "You are overly flattering yourself, Mr. Hale, and that kind of habit can only lead to delusions" she threw back with an equally self-assured smile now adorning her brightly colored lips, legs crossed in a nonchalant stance and her hands still occupied with her book as if it's more than important than the sight before her. Derek lets out a low manly laugh before throwing a "We'll see about that, princess". Lethy merely shrugged, put on a neutral - almost bored - face and went back to reading.

* * *

Having - _seemingly_ \- lost the girl's attention, Derek decided it was time to get back to what he was previously doing. So, he reached into the gunny-sack (the object responsible for the loud thud that originally disturbed Lethy's reading) and started pulling out revolvers, pistols, hunting knives, a massive elephant gun, and a half dozen carefully wrapped sticks of dynamite. He carefully and expertly inspects each weapon's condition, weights them to his hands as if to get acquainted with them and even experimentally loads and aims a couple of them.

* * *

The intriguing clanking sound is what causes Lethy to look up from her notes and stare open-mouthly at the table in front of her. "So this is what Rick meant by _tools of profession_ " said the stupefied young woman while staring at the different weapons that were now lying before her like an open buffet. Unconsciously, her hand travels to the back and picks up a small pistol the size of her palm. She begins to inspect it as if it were any precious artifact uncovered in one of the archaeological digs she's participated in. "If we have to go back to that wretched place, at least we're gonna do it fully armed" states Derek without taking his eyes off the pistol that he's inspecting at the moment.

"Wretched?" she inquires, brows furrowed. "How can anyone call that place 'wretched'?"

"He can quite easily when the last time he was at that place he had to watch every single one of his companions die a horrible death" said the man in question with a stoic expression and a voice calm as ice - despite the grim statement. Lethy was a bit shook by both his words and the apathetic way of his approach. But she assumed that seeing people die, even people close to him, was something regular for a soldier like Derek. In order to avoid any unpleasant reactions, though, she decided not to press the matter any further.

Instead, she changed the route of the conversation. "Well, wretched or not, my siblings and I have some very distinct reasons to want to find it" she stated while absentmindedly playing with the piece of metal in her hands. "Oh really? How so?" he asked to know, this time turning to look at her with an inquiring expression. "My brother hopes to find the gold and treasure of King Seti the First, whilst my sister and I hope to uncover the Book Of Hammun Ra. It's one of the most famous books in history, said to contain all the knowledge regarding the ancient religious rituals and magic manifestations that the Egyptians used to perform. It has been our goal to find it ever since we were little girls, reading about the ancient city in our mom's history and legends books. It's kind of a life-long dream, you see" she confessed in a low and calm voice as if she were narrating a story. A small part of her felt anxious and shy about sharing such an intimate part of herself with a man who still remained a general stranger to her, yet the biggest part of her didn't feel odd about it at all. If anything, speaking to him about her dreams and aspirations felt completely natural to her. As if he knew her in a deeper and very special way, as if he had a right to know these things about her. Once again, she couldn't explain the origins of this sentiment, but she couldn't deny the fact that she was experiencing it.

"And the fact that they say it's made out of pure gold, matters very little to you, right?" said Derek, the ghost of a smirk adorning his lips. A pleasantly surprised expression crosses Lethy's features at the discovery of Derek's extensive knowledge regarding the matter of the book. "You know your history Mr. Hale" she says, slightly smirking herself. "Not really. I just know my treasure" he replies wit-fully.

A small period of silence stresses over the two young explorers during which Derek busies himself with finishing up his self-assigned task and Lethy watches him closely. Suddenly a thought passes the girl's mind, one that had been carefully placed to the back of her mind and stuck there for fear of what mayhem it'd cause the question that held. But now that they were face to face and the silence was separating them, loosing up the security inside Lethy's mind, it had found a way to creep back into the surface and it threatened to escape her lips. Lethy was nervous of asking Derek that, nervous of what his answer would be. That it wouldn't be what she'd like to hear or anything close to that. That he would either laugh at her or they would have to spend the rest of the trip in shameful silence. But it was itching her, she had to know, regardless of whether it was what she wanted to hear or not. So, just like Pandora, she decided to open the mysterious box and prayed that it wasn't full of worms.

"By the way, I can't help but wonder why you did what you did back there" she said lowly.

"Did what?" he inquires, a perfect black eyebrow raised in puzzlement.

"You know" was the only explanation she gave. If he hadn't figured it out by this point, he most certainly did now, because the red that tainted Lethy's cheeks at the moment gave away all the hints he needed to get the point. Derek smirked in a teasing manner that only caused her blush to deepen. She wasn't some sort of hussy, her experience with men and the matters in regards to them was still considerably little so she had every right to feel embarrassed and vulnerable in situations like this. After all, the sting of rejection hurts no matter the age or experience one may have in the field.

"You wanna know why I kissed ya, princess?" he says in a sultry voice, wearing an expression of wicked satisfaction and playful taunting that caused shivers to run down Lethy's spine and intensified her embarrassment by a thousand. The way he had spoken those words and the way he was looking at her made the whole situation feel so intimate and scandalous as if it was the tryst of two lovers. And said fact baffled Lethy's mind immensely since she and Derek were by no means a pair of lovers. _Even though she would very much liked them to be_. But these were still dangerous thoughts, like a knife at the hands of a child who still had no idea of how to use it properly; she had to suppress them for the time being in order not to hurt herself. Nonetheless, the young woman avoided the former legionnaire's gaze, lowered her head and hid her cheeks behind the long black curtain of her hair so as to conceal the evidence of her flush.

Behind her long dark eyelashes she saw Derek nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders and exchanging the devilish look for an easy-going expression as if his following statement was a matter of fact. "I was about to be hanged and you were the first beautiful girl I had seen in a really long time. At that moment I just thought that I had nothing to lose. And if I were to die, at least I should have something nice to think of before the end. So I kissed you. Does that answer your question, princess?" he said, but Alethea was in no position to reply for she was left speechless. Surely, it wasn't the answer she was expecting to hear, but it was certainly one that she didn't mind hearing. The knowledge that he chose her to be his final kiss - according to the circumstances of the time - and that he wanted the image and feel of their sealed lips to be his last thought of peace before entering the after-life filled her with a sentiment of utmost humbleness and warmth. She felt honored and special and a little light-headed as if she had just drunk a glass of strong red wine.

What surprised her though was the sudden skip of her heartbeat when he had called her 'beautiful'. That wasn't the first time someone had complimented her appearance; friends, family and flirts had often called her all sorts of nice things. She knew she was attractive; she even told herself every day so, reminded her - sometimes - insecure mind that she was pretty and complete in every way. But when Derek called her that...it just felt different. In a good way! It felt stronger, better, more intense. Her mom had once told her that when a man that loves you calls you 'beautiful', he ignites a spark in your heart that no one else can - right before throwing an adoring glance at her late father's direction. Once again Lethy had to kill off these thoughts that were like double-edge knives, capable of making her bleed if she weren't careful.

"So what you're saying is that I was your last meal" she finally says with a teasing half-grin, her arms crossed and hair flipped back with a dramatic movement of her head in order to reveal her full face once again - now that his statement had restored her confidence and resolved her momentary insecurities.

 _More like my last wish_ , Derek thought, but didn't say it out loud. Instead he settled for a simple: "Yeah, something like that" in order to contribute to the girl's little game. Her faint smile confirmed that his tactic was effective.

* * *

He wanted to be careful, at least for the time being. He couldn't risk revealing what he truly thought of the feisty young woman sitting across from him. She couldn't know how she made him feel, not yet, it was too soon, too premature. He feared that if she were to find out the true nature of his feelings and intentions she'd run for the hills - and would have every good reason to do so.

They've physically known each other only for a couple of days, and yet he already harbored impure thoughts of her. He couldn't stop thinking about her gorgeous lips turning red and swollen from their kiss. Her obsidian eyes fogging with pure passion and lust as they came in contact. Her lovely chest heaving with shallow breaths as she tried to recover from their shared moment of non-existent inhibitions and euphoria.

She had kissed him back! She could have easily gone stone cold and motionless at the contact, or she could have pushed him away, recoil in disgust and be repelled by his behavior. Hell, even slap him for his action! Although he was pretty damn sure that a woman of her temper, skills and confidence wouldn't settle for a mere scolding slap like some nun. He imagined that if things had gone differently she would have taken out her blades and sliced his damn dick off for touching her without her permission. And he was probably the sickest mother-fucker alive for finding pride and joy at the thought of having his cock cut off, but that was the truth. He adored the fact that she was so strong, so capable, so wild and no-nonsense. It made him swell with adoration and fascination, made him want her even more.

Not to tame her or some other shit of the sorts. He was perhaps the only guy in the world - or maybe one among very selected few - who believed that a powerful woman was the sexiest kind of woman. The pussies he's used to doing business with are of the opposite belief - that she's the scariest kind. He can't understand the logic behind this belief but he doesn't really care. There is a reason why men like them need men like him and Rick to do their dirty businesses, because they lack the balls to do it themselves. That's a category Derek is no interested in ever belonging so prefers to pay them no mind - them or what they stand for.

In conclusion, Alethea could have reacted very differently to his forwardness. But instead of doing any of the above, she had kissed him back! He still couldn't get over that fact. He had smelled her chemo-signals back then and there was no mistaking the thick, lush scents of arousal and longing that surrounded her as he claimed her lips. She had enjoyed it alright. If anything, she craved for more. He had sensed her disappointment and desperation when he had pulled away. She would have reached for him if the bars weren't separating them and there were no guards with flogging sticks. And he craved to give her that same satisfaction again. And again and again. Ideally, in the same night. But that would have to wait for now, as long as the foundational ground hadn't been lain, what he and his animal desired had no meaning. He wanted to earn her first. Earn her trust, her desire and companionship in all forms and then give her everything he has to offer.

He hadn't forgotten what life had taught him though. He could never have a fulfilling relationship with a woman if she were to find out his true self - the monster he was, the beast he hid behind the man, the cold steel blue concealed behind the pale green. But there was something about Alethea Carnahan that gave him hope and made him want to try...All he has to do is keep his true identity hidden and maybe then he'll have a chance with the beautiful explorer. He's been doing it for almost half of his life, so why not continue it for the rest of it? He's willing to do anything to have a chance at being with Alethea. In order to preserve the glimmer of hope and happiness she represents - the only thing that he never had in his life and now that he's had a taste he wants more.

"Do you have any experience with these?" he asked her after a long stretch of time, referring to the gun she was still holding in her hands. Lethy's eyes widened in true and utter surprise as if he had just asked her whether the sky was purple. The question must have really caught her off-guard - which is what had surprised _Derek_. Looking at it this way, her confusion was logical, considering the fact that most people don't associate women with guns, let alone the use of them, so she probably was never asked this question before. But Derek knew better - knew _her_ better - and he had to assume that someone who knew how to wield a blade like a master and had the guts to threaten the warden of an entire prison with emasculation for touching their sister inappropriately knew their way around guns too. "Uhm...no, actually, I don't. I'm not much of a guns person. They are too _constricting_. I prefer using my blades" she said after getting over the initial shock.

"Constricting? You actually consider a small yet deadly piece of firearm constricting?" he said a bit perplexed.

"I'm a dancer, a gymnast and an acrobat Mr. Hale" she said matter-of-factly. "My body is my own instrument of profession and I need to have freedom of movement in order to fully function it. You can't really have that when dealing with a gun; you must stand still, aim and depend on unsteady things such as the wind, the range of the bullet and your own precision of eyesight, in order to have success. As you can see there are indeed a lot of restrictions and I don't really having them around when I have to fight for my life" she explains in that melodic voice of hers that he could listen on forever and the entire time he was paying close attention, watching the little details that shifted in her expression and posture as she spoke. She was a sight in every way.

"Yeah I guess you are right. Although I have to admit that I had never thought of it that way. I always enjoyed using firearms for that exact reason, because they require precision and focus and...I don't know...I guess they calm me in a way. Ground me, get me in the zone and help me get perceptive" he says a bit absentmindedly. He wasn't exactly planning to open up, but there was just something about this girl that made him feel relaxed and certain. He could talk to her without any inhibitions as if she already knew him in a way and deserved to know more. It was in her scent, in the sense he got from her, in the sweetness amidst the charcoal depths of her eyes. Everything about her drew him in and whispered to his ear a comforting 'trust me' and it felt nice to his heart. Besides Rick, he didn't really have any other person in his life with whom he could feel that at ease - but even his relationship with Rick hadn't come without some strains here and there. But now, in this moment with Alethea Carnahan, he felt as if there were no spikes to his ribs, no alarms going off in his head.

This was the first time his animal was at peace and content. He didn't feel angry, he didn't feel agitated, he wasn't on edge. For the first time in his life he wasn't ticked off or annoyed at the presence of another human being - as he had come accustomed to. His inner animal had completely gave in to her influence and that only intrigued him further.

"And yet you had the audacity to call my reasoning 'crazy'?" she challenges with an amused grimace, adding a little laughter at the end to which he - unwillingly and unconsciously - responded with one of his own. _So now you're laughing too? What the fuck is wrong with you man?_ his mind questioned and the only answer he got ready was: _I have no fucking clue_. "I admit that wasn't very fair of me, so I apologize" he said honestly.

"Accepted" she replied kindly. "So it seems that we are somewhat opposites since you clearly don't like to work with knives at all" she noted after glancing over the weapons laid over the table and noticing that there were no sharp objects amongst them.

"Blades, sharp objects in general...I don't really like them. They _unsettle_ me in a way. I feel more comfortable with something I can control" he says cryptically - at least to her ears it would seem so. Truth was that Derek didn't work with knives because he simply didn't need them. He had his own set of blades hidden beneath his fingertips, waiting for the appropriate amount of rage and fury to wake them up and pull them to the surface. Sharp objects indeed unsettled him because they were a constant reminder of the monster hidden underneath his skin. They remind him that he will never have to use a foreign instrument in order to cut a man's throat because he is fully capable of doing so himself, with his bare hands. The claws and fangs which his beastly form has to offer are far deadlier than any human made knife and he should know since he has used them plenty of times to defend himself against aspiring foes. At the memory of it he can feel the red substance coating his fingers, the thickness of it as it trailed down his palms and onto the pavement under his boots. Its taste upon his tongue after slashing a foul man's throat, always the same - heavy and metallic, difficult to shallow at first but once inside his system it ignited a hunger that sometimes was impossible to satisfy.

Thankfully he hadn't killed someone that didn't deserve it. _Yet_. That one word, that one doubt was a constant menacing whisper to the back of his mind that never let him at peace. The fear that one day he could harm someone innocent...only as he thought about it now that someone had a face, a form, a pair of beautiful eyes and a smile. Now he feared that he might hurt _her_. He couldn't allow that. He couldn't allow himself to go that far. If he had to smother, choke down and bury the beast six feet under then he would do so. He would die before letting anything happen to her.

"Hey? You okay?" her voice was distant at first but then it hit him hard like falling on a brick wall. A foreign sensation on his left arm startled him awake and landed him harshly back to reality, the jolts of electricity that sparked to erupt all over his arm going straight to his spine and shocking him in a way that he didn't know if he should interpret it as a threat or welcome it. Due to his mind being used to interpreting everything new as a threat he instantly recoiled back from whatever it was...but then he noticed Lethy's extended hand that was way too close to him. He had to fight back both the shift in the colors of his eyes and the growl that threatened to escape his throat as the realization dawned on him. _She had touched him!_ The unsettled expression on her face that now seemed more like actual alarmness rather than mere worry for his well-being nearly broke him in half. But thankfully it gave him just enough motivation to fight back the shift, take a couple of deep breaths and put on a calmer and more stoic demeanor. "Yeah I'm fine" he said, still a bit gruffly due to his animal remaining too close to the surface for his own good.

"Are you sure?" the girl opposite to him inquired, eyes semi-wide and brows arched as she nodded toward his hands. He looked down and noticed that he had almost squeezed his gun to death, an imprint of his hand now being molded to the cool metal whilst the place he was holding it had taken a very weird shape. He hadn't even realized that he was doing this. One more reason to be cautious around her. He had to take a step back and get a hold of himself. He had to take things slow since he didn't have complete control yet. He couldn't risk hurting her. "Yeah I'm sure" he assured before letting the poor object fall from his hands back on the tool blanket. He could tell, thought, that he hadn't convinced her that much, since her look still harbored some disbelief.

He needed to take her mind off of the current subject so he started talking again, mentioning the first thing that he could think of at the moment. "I still don't understand why an archaeologist needs to know how to defend herself, though. I mean, the things you folks usually meddle with have been dead for a really long time. So I don't really see a use for carrying around knives and two armed companions all the time"

The young woman let out a semi-amused laugh at his comment. "A common misconception. You'd be surprised, Mr. Hale, to know exactly how many dangers we encounter daily in our line of work" she says. "Bandits, tomb raiders, extremists obsessed with the perseverance of their ancient culture who don't accept the interference of outsiders. We've encountered all these kinds of people in numerous occasions. And most of the time we were forced to fight them off in order to protect ourselves, our fellow colleagues and companions and the artifacts that we were tasked with studying" she explains in her usual soft, honeyed, narrator-like voice, piquing the young man's interest almost immediately. With every new detail that he came to know about Alethea Carnahan the admiration and intrigue that he felt for her person only seemed to intensify and multiply. Not only was she a true beauty but also a big and great badass with the intelligence to top it all off. It was getting nearly impossible to resist his attraction for the dark-eyed archaeologist, but he had to at least try. He oughted to be smart and careful with this one or else he risked losing his one chance at something good. If he somehow managed to keep his hands to himself until they reached the Nile's edge, he would have to give himself a golden metal!

"So what you're saying is that you've had your fair share of battles, Mrs. Carnahan?" he inquired with a coy smirk. Instead of a reply, she simply smirked back and did the next most _unbelievable_ thing! She reached out and pulled up the soft linen fabric of her trousers, revealing her delicate ankle and the smooth, sun-kissed, bronze skin of her inner shin. She turned her leg just right in order for him to have a good view of the white line that tainted her otherwise flawless complexion. "And I have the scars to prove it" she finally said with a proud tone.

Derek wouldn't be able to describe what had possessed him in that moment even if you'd asked him. He wasn't really thinking at that moment, that's for sure. He simply found himself dropping to his knees in front of her and reaching out a hand to touch her leg. Thankfully, he stopped himself a second before his fingers came in contact with her skin, because his hyper-sensitive hearing had caught the hitch in her breath at his sudden - and very bold - movement. "May I?" he asked in a low voice, almost like a whisper but loud enough for her to hear him. He made sure to look her in the eye when he asked that question - and he couldn't mistake the sheer enthrallment that shone in those obsidian depths for anything else in the world. Nor could he overlook the sudden spike of arousal in her scent or the way her chest heaved with shallow breaths.

Damn that girl wanted him just as bad as he wanted her! She was getting excited just at the thought of him touching her bare ankle even though they had already shared the most passionate kiss of his life! Which means that they had done more than what the common lovers' tryst requires in their time and age, they had gone way further than any regular pair of young people. But then again, they weren't a very regular pair, were they? The ex-con former legionnaire and the she-ninja archaeologist with the smart mouth. Now they most definitely weren't. And yet Alethea Carnahan still blushed and shivered at the mere thought of sharing such a small yet significant intimate contact with him. He thrilled, enticed and electrified her. And he was eating it all up, his inner animal howling with pride!

"Yeah" she eventually replied in a hushed whisper, her voice a little breathless but he didn't grin at that, he didn't want to embarrass or harm her pride. Instead he simply offered her a warm reassuring smile and placed his finger tips lightly on top of her old scar. He made sure that his touch was as tender and soft as possible, a far contrast from the usual tough and manhandling ways a man of his size and abilities is used to, but he had to treat her with care like the treasure she was so he forced himself to go out of his comfort zone.

He inspected the now-healed wound closely. It was a simple white line, no jagged edges or weird formations. "It's a flesh wound, not meant to cause any serious damage. It's also remarkably smooth..." he said and glanced up at her face; she was looking down at him through her eyelashes, her eyes hooded and clouded with so much desire he could smell it in the air that surrounded her. "I got it on a mission in Mexico two years ago. We were supposed to explore the ruins of an ancient Aztec temple but we were ambushed by a group of tomb raiders on arrival. They opened fire against the people of my group and one of the bullets grazed my leg. It hurt like hell, but I cracked his skull open in half with my blades so I guess we're even" she said.

"Geez, who would've thought that digging up bones could be such a dangerous profession" he said. "Still! Didn't your mom ever tell you that you should never bring a knife to a gun fight?"

"My mom would have preferred I stayed clear off guns altogether. She wasn't a big fun of me learning how to fight. She loved me dearly, don't get her wrong...She just knew how difficult it is to be a girl in this world, especially if you are doing things differently than how you are supposed to. She was just trying to protect me, that's all"

"But you don't really like following the rules, right? You want to do things your own way nonetheless" he pointed out - no judgment or criticism tainting his voice.

"Only when I'm sure it's the right way. I won't become a part of the mass just because I'm expected to. If I know I'm right about something, I'm gonna follow my gut wherever it leads me. And learning how to defend myself is the first step to a good life, on my opinion" she said, her eyes sparkling for her views impassioned her greatly and once again he heard her carefully, paid close attention and found himself becoming both entranced and impressed by the intelligence that kept spilling out of her coral lips. She, on the other hand, must have mistaken his silence for an expression of disagreement, because the next moment she let out a huff, shook her head and said: "And now you probably think I'm crazy"

"That's not really the word I'd use to describe you, princess" he said.

"Then which one would you use?"

"Remarkable" came his immediate response. He didn't have to think twice about it and the confidence - and other hidden sentiments that he wasn't sure if she could comprehend - in his words both seem to baffle and comfort her.

They stayed locked in a comfortable silence for a small stretch of time, their gazes locked and their hearts beating in sync - from what Derek could hear - but eventually he was the one to rip his gaze away from her and break the silence. He feared that if they stayed like that for one more second he would lose the battle with himself and give in, he would grab her, pull her to his embrace and ravage her with kisses the way he'd been dying to do so. So for the sake of his sanity and her comfort he got up and avoided eye contact for the time being. "I still believe that you should learn how to use a gun though. Like you said, knowing how to defend yourself is the first step to a good life. So why not have a complete education?" were the words that broke their little crystal ball of comfort.

"Will you teach me?" her sudden question caught him completely off guard, causing his gaze to shoot up from the ground and meet her fair features once more. There was a hidden confidence underneath her porcelain complexion and soft brown eyes, accompanied by a desire that engulfed her scent and surrounded her body like a wedding veil - all said images set a fire blazing within Derek's body. She was looking at him expectantly, her eyes never leaving his, completely unwavering to her wish. Eventually, Derek shook his head clear of all distracting thoughts and allowed a smile to crack upon his lips. "Sure, why not?" he said, trying to act nonchalant.

"Excellent!" said the young woman excitedly, shooting up from her seat like a jack in the box, her eyes shinning bright and the edges of her lips quirked up in a lovely grin. Before he could stop her, Lethy had grabbed one of the small pistols lying around on the blanket and was toying with it in her hands. "Woah, woah!" Derek exclaimed and rushed to her side, putting his hands on top of her own and ceasing her movements before she'd do anything irrevocable. "But maybe some other time would be more suitable. Don't forget that we're still in a boat full of people who I don't think would appreciate the sound of a gun shot interrupting their sleep" he pointed out.

"But it's such a small piece" she said, her delicate brows furrowing in a sweet frown.

"And yet it can cause lots of damage and make a really loud bang when it's fired. Trust me, you don't wanna risk it, at least not in here"

"Oh okay" she said, looking a bit embarrassed and awkward for the first time in the little time he's known her. "Please forgive me...I guess I got a bit carried away..." she murmured, her eyes trained to a direction away from his face.

"It's okay, princess, I don't blame you" he said in a soft and reassuring voice. "I'm still going to teach you, just in a more suitable venue"

"Do you promise?" she said finally turning to face him.

"I promise" he assured her.

"Good, because I'm gonna hold you to that" she said, a finger pointed at him and some of the previous playfulness returning to her expression. He chuckled and said: "Thanks for the warning"

A new blanket of silence covered them immediately afterwards, but it wasn't an awkward silence. It seemed to never be one when it came to the two of them. It was a peaceful and comfortable kind of silence, the type that follows a pleasant moment and is necessary for said moment to be well digested, one that said that no words were necessary to be spoken in order for the mood to be light and care-free. During that time, Derek had lost himself in the dark depths of her eyes, studying the beats of her heart and the speed of her breath, the little details that made up her beautiful visage. And in his entire life, he had never felt as content and calm as in that particular moment.

It took him a moment to realize that he was still holding her hands in his own, the coolness of the metallic weapon in their grasp a mere nuisance in the way of the shared heat between their joined skins, and that their faces were close enough for only a breath to separate them from the possibility of a kiss. He felt his control slipping away as something similar to an invisible force started pushing him closer and closer to her, one inch at a time. He didn't know what was happening to him, he wasn't feeling like his usual self when Lethy was around. Here he was, throwing inhibitions and caution to the wind and jumping head first to action. He was brave alright, but he was never reckless - or careless for that matter. His actions had always been carefully constructed and thought out, calculations perfect down to the last detail. And yet here he was now, acting on instinct instead of plan, thinking with his heart instead of his head.

But, alas, he didn't have to lose all of his control - and he thanked the heavens for that. At the last minute she took a step back, pulling away from his reach and putting the necessary amount of empty space between them in order for him to collect himself and get his wits back together. "It's late. I should probably go now" she said in a low whispery voice. "Yeah, I suppose you are right" he said in a voice so gravelly that it couldn't belong to him.

He couldn't be sure who made the first move, all he knew is that their hands had been separated and his own had fallen down to his sides, boneless and numb. The little pistol was now resting against his palm, the coldness of the metal grounding him back to reality.

She took the first cautious steps away from him, but before she could go far enough she turned around one last time. "Thank you for the company, Mr. Hale. I enjoyed being around you" she said, a light - yet, dare he say, shy - smile adorning her lips, whilst a faint red shade was decorating her cheeks. "My pleasure, princess. And it's Derek, by the way. You might wanna start using my name if we're gonna do this more often" he said.

"Right. Derek" the way she pronounced his name was like a tender caress against his cheek, soft and welcome, it made him feel warm and his animal at ease.

"Good night, princess" he said

"Good night, Derek" He watched her walking away, her long black hair tangling from side to side like a horse's mane and the lovely sway of her hips enticing him, until she eventually disappeared from his field of vision.

 _What the hell is happening to me?_ he wondered, running a frustrated hand down his face and letting out a heavy sigh. That girl had put a spell on him, no doubt. Hey, if beasts like himself existed then maybe so did enchantresses, and maybe miss Alethea Carnahan was one of them. He couldn't explain the attraction he felt towards her, the power she had over him. When he was around her, his animal was both at ease and restless. It felt calm at her presence, yet it'd get agitated at the fact that he couldn't touch her or be with her in a more physical and intimate way. He was losing his mind. What was happening to him - what was going on between them - was strange, inexplicable and all too powerful for him to handle - even though he always praised himself on his strength and ability to endure even the toughest of situations.

It terrified him...and yet, in a way, he didn't want it to end...

* * *

 **You have no idea how much I loved writing this chapter, guys! I'm so not giving up this story, like ever! Lethy and Derek (#Derthy, in case you guys want an official ship name XD) are the reason for my happiness and I can't wait for you to read the rest of their story! Once again, comments, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and votes are more than welcome! They make my day, and make me a better author! :D :-) See you guys at the next chapter! XOXOXOXOXOXO**

 **#Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess ;-)**


	7. Black Clad Death and Water On Fire

_What the hell am I doing?_ is all Lethy can think of as she walks down the empty hallway of the cabins' department. Her hand keeps absentmindedly rubbing at the place where his hands had touched her skin only a few moments earlier, her mind still a bit foggy from the trance in which his hypnotic green gaze put her and her heart still going a bit too fast for her liking. She was walking on weak legs as if she were drunk and her mind was flying on foreign skies. She had never felt like that in her entire life. Only in her wildest dreams - which, by now, she was rather sure he was the one starring in - and that fact made her state even more difficult to handle. She couldn't comprehend what was that deep connection going on between her and the mysterious former legionnaire, the attraction she felt for him, the things he did to her body without much effort baffled her greatly!

It almost felt unreal, like a dream - one she never wanted to wake up from. Every nerve ending, every sense in her body is on high alert, completely aware of his presence even though he is no longer with her. And yet she can still smell his musky manly scent hanging around her like a ghost, can still feel his warm breath caressing her cheek oh so tantalizingly. She recalls how his eyes turned her system into a blazing inferno, how his hands touched her with so much care and tenderness that filled her up with so many emotions she thought she would burst!

Truly, his behavior had surprised her in the best possible way. He didn't act like a brute towards her, on the complete contrary he acted like a true gentleman! Even though his appearance gave off the impression of a rough around the edges, animalistic, almost barbaric type of man, the way he treated her was anything but that. He was sweet, kind and fun around her, he was easy to talk to and made her feel relaxed and completely at ease. She had overly enjoyed her time with him and didn't want it to ever end!

And that wasn't all it!

He had asked for permission before touching her bloody _ankle_! The same man who had grabbed her face and gave her the most soul-consuming kiss of her life in front of her siblings, her partners and the entirety of the prison had acted cautious about touching her leg. Sure, that kiss of theirs was highly affected by the urgency of the moment and the grave danger of being hanged that Derek was facing - although, the fact that he had wanted her to be his final kiss didn't mind her one bit, she can't remember ever been complimented in a more special way! - but still, it felt like they were two very different men.

One that was acting on instinct and one that was reserved. One that could take care of her, cherish her; and one that would consume and devour her, who would show her passion and excitement beyond compare. Yet, she was enticed by both of them.

Because the intimacy, the tension and the pure sensuality that she felt the moment he was inspecting her faded scar made her see stars! She had to bite back a moan when he'd touched her. And even though she had seen the lust in his eyes - which she was certain had been reflecting in her own as well - he hadn't acted inappropriately towards her, he hadn't even touched her beyond her ankle. He had respected her, but also given her a true moment of connection between them. And she was melting like a lit candle at the mere thought of it!

She still couldn't believe that she had found the strength to pull away when he had tried to kiss her. That's when she had seen his impulsive side once again, the man that acted on his primal emotions and instincts, the one that was inhibited and dangerously bold.

She was proud of herself on the one hand, but a bit sad on the other that she had missed such a chance to see how his kiss would taste like this time. When it wasn't rushed or rough, but gentle and leisuring. When he'd actually take his time to explore her mouth with his tongue and fully indulge in her taste. When he'd be able to wrap his arms around her frame and bring her closer, crush her against his rock hard body and let her feel all of him. Would it be like in her dreams to experience pleasure by the hands of this man - or would it be even better than she could have ever dreamed of?

Yes all these questions did run through her mind but she had to pull away at that moment, she had to put some boundaries between them. Because she couldn't give in just yet. She couldn't simply surrender herself, mind, body and soul, to this man she barely knew. She wanted to get to know him - _truly_ get to know him first - before giving in and offering herself freely to him. She wasn't some sailor hussy, she didn't sleep with any man that batted an eyelash at her. She had never been with anyone she didn't know very well, that she didn't trust completely, and she wasn't about to start now! Because there were still many questions surrounding Derek Hale that she had to resolve. Who was he? What was his game? Why was she dreaming of him? And what his connection to her all about?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" the scream pulled Lethy brutally out of her thoughts and caused every instinct in her body to ignite. She knew this scream all too well; she had heard it plenty of times when she was little and she and Jonathan would play pranks on their older sister. "EVIE!" she exclaimed, fear for her sister's well-being and rage for whoever was hurting her fueling her veins and propelling her legs to run towards the door of her cabin, blades in hand and murderous tendency on full effect.

* * *

The scream hit his ears suddenly and all too quickly, like the hit of a bullet. Soon after, the toxic, metallic and heavy scent of fear filled his nostrils and tainted his tongue like dried blood. He hated that scent; it was an awful cocktail to experience, and let's not forget that it was never a sign for good things. He didn't even allow his own enemies to feel that sentiment, he usually knocked them out before they had any chance at fearing him. But now it was the only thing he could sense, so strong it was that suffocated him. And the fact that it was accompanied by the smell of fire was another agitator altogether.

It didn't take him long to figure out that both the scents and the scream were coming from the cabins' department - _from the same direction that Lethy had headed towards to just a few moments ago._

"No" the word left him instinctively, tainted by his own sentiments of fear, anxiety and desperation that overwhelmed him at the mere thought of Lethy being in serious trouble. In the blink of an eye, he had armed himself with one pistol in each hand, his eyes slowly turning into their predatory steel blue as he strode towards the direction his senses were taking him, ready to take down any threat in order to reach _her_.

* * *

By the time she had reached the room she, Evie and Lily were supposed to be sharing, the air was full of gunshot bangs and she could smell that something was definitely burning. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Evie and Rick practically rocketing out of the girls' cabin, the Egyptian librarian being white as a sheet with dread and the former legionnaire throwing bullets at whatever or whoever was that had caused her sister to scream like that.

"Lethy!" her sister exclaimed once her gaze fell on the younger Carnahan's form.

"What the hell is happening here?!" the girl yelled out in order to be heard over the excessive sound of shots being fired and...human screams coming from the cabin?

"We're under attack!" Rick yelled in reply, his face contorted in focus as he kept defending himself and Evelyn from the still unknown to Lethy foe. "We need to go _now_!" he announced and then started heading along with Evie towards Lethy, towards the staircase and towards safety. "Wait!" Evie exclaimed before halting back her movements in urgency. "The map! The map! I forgot the map!" she attempted to turn around and head back to the room in order to retrieve it, but Rick caught her arm before she could reach it - his posture and movements being extremely chill and devil-may-care for someone who had just been and probably still is in the middle of a gun fight. "Relax, I'm the map" he said before pointing at his head. "It's all up here"

"Oh that's comforting" said Evelyn breathlessly and exasperatingly as she was being dragged away from the danger by O'Connell. Lethy had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she wasn't a fool. She of all people understood that when in battle there is no time for chit chat, there is only time for fighting or running like the devil is chasing you. And right now, it seemed like their best option was to flee, so she followed Rick's example and did just that.

* * *

"What the hell happened?!" was the first thing that came out of Derek's mouth the moment he bumped into Rick and the two Carnahan sisters that seemed like they were running from a tornado back there. His eyes found Lethy's face and he momentarily allowed himself to feel relieved and grateful of the fact that she was still alive and well - though a bit out of breath and with eyes wild due to the adrenaline. "The ship is under attacked. It's the same black cloaks that we saw in the desert" said Rick, keeping his cool and maintaining his casual self even in the midst of an angry battle.

"What? The hell are they doing here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, brother" said Rick. "Will you have my back?"

Derek simply locked and loaded his guns instead of giving a verbal reply.

The minute they exited the hallway and got back on deck, Derek's senses were attacked by a million different images at once. The whole ship was on fire, the scent of burning wood and hay filling his nose; men were jumping off and into the sea while fires were thrown all over the place. It was excruciating for his animal but thankfully Derek was used to this kind of situations and he had schooled himself and his inner one to focus on one task, one target, and block all the other ones out. In that moment, his mind had to be sharp and calm, his senses alert but not panicked, his gaze cold and his actions cut-throat and fast.

He and Rick stood by the edge of the wall, using the wooden facade as a block between themselves and the black hoods that were shooting at them at the moment, while the two Carnahan sisters stood behind them for cover. Or at least that was the case with Evelyn. Lethy's eyes were fierce, her jaw clenched in focus and her hands tightly wrapped around her blades which were strategically placed in front of her chest. He wasn't gonna let such a teammate go to waste. "When we go out there, I want you to cover me. Be my eyes and ears on the back and make sure I don't get shot from behind. If you have a clear shot, cut them down. Got it, princess?" he spoke while he was being reloading his gun. Rick was doing the same, while bullets were being nailed to the wall next to their heads, almost too close for comfort but Derek was aware of the fact and in constant alertness so he didn't mind. Unlike him, Rick needed Evie to pull him back by the strap of his gun holder in order for him not to get shot in the head.

Derek wasn't looking at Alethea, but judging by her scent his words had stunned her once again - and impressed her pleasantly as well. "Here we go" he announced, pulling her out of her trance before he and Rick threw themselves in the field. They started throwing shots at whichever black hood was in their field of vision, thus preventing them from doing the same to them, while they made sure to stay covered behind pillars and former wall pieces in order to avoid enemy fire. Their aim was to reach the edge of the ship and follow the rest of the ship's crew into the sea. And during the entire journey there, he could feel Lethy's steps following close behind him, her scent practically stuck to his back as he had instructed her. She would scream things like "look out!", "on your left!" or "five o'clock" from time to time, signaling him either to pay attention or where to find his next target. At some point he wasn't fast enough to locate the latest black hood that had his eyes on him, but thankfully she had seen him before him and had thrown one of her blades at him, cutting him down before he could take his shot and saving his life. He allowed himself a moment to look back and stare in awe at the young warrior woman who had just saved his ass. With her wild black hair, breathless visage and fire-shooting eyes she looked like the goddess Athena fresh out of battle, devastating and glorious. He had never seen a sight more beautiful than that. In that moment he made two realizations: 1) that Alethea Carnahan was indeed a woman like no other and 2) that they were an amazing team.

"LETHY!" a familiar voice echoed loud and clear to both of their ears and Derek instantly recognized it as the young Jones girl, Lethy's companion. They both looked up at the same time and saw the Jones girl and the Stilinski kid giving their own fight on the upper deck. The petite brunette that Derek remembered is called Lily had stopped momentarily and was looking at their direction with wide fiery eyes whilst her male companions kept filling the bodies of their foes with lead. Derek had to admit that the kid was an excellent shooter. Perhaps a bit - okay, _a lot_ \- of a hyperactive spaz when it came to words and actual human interactions but at least he seemed to have some admirable qualities, such his skills as a gunslinger and fighter, Derek came to realize - for he was a tough man, but not a stupid or an unnecessarily cruel one. "LILY!" Lethy called out at her friend "GET DOWN HERE! WE'RE GOING OVERBOARD!" she yelled out the instructions at them. It didn't take the Jones girl long to alert Stilinski of the developments and for the two youngsters to rush towards their direction - firing shots and leaving dead hoods in their wake.

They had almost reached them when Derek and Lethy noticed a pair of black hoods pointing their guns at the two younger members of their group. In the blink of an eye and in perfect sync, Derek shot the left one down while Lethy threw her remaining blade at the right one's head, cutting it open like a watermelon and condemning him to his doom. They shared a heated, intense stare afterwards, both of them high on the adrenaline of the battle and their united fighting style that was such a rush of companionship almost like dancing. In that moment Derek didn't know what he wanted more: to cry out in triumph and exhilaration, to give her a high-five or simply grab her and kiss the everlasting life out of her?

"Thanks for the save, boss" the breathless voice of the Stilinski kid woke them up from their trance and Derek nearly growled in frustration at the fact that he lost contact with her beautiful intoxicated eyes. "No problem. Let's go" was all Lethy said before all four of them started running once again, heading for the edge of the ship with an aim to join Evelyn and Rick.

"Can you swim?" he heard Rick asking Evelyn as they reached them.

"Of course I can swim if the occasion calls for it!" came Evelyn's over the top reply as she handed Rick the bag that was full of their weapons with which he had loaded her earlier on. Thank God Rick had acted smartly enough to pack up their equipment before all hell broke lose. Derek would never admit it to anyone, but he wasn't thinking straight at all at the moment the attack began. Every single ounce of his being was focused on finding Lethy and protecting her from harm if she couldn't do so herself, pretty much all other thoughts evaporated the moment he sensed danger and his instincts kicked in.

"Trust me," says Rick before lifting Evelyn up from the ground "it calls for it" and just like that, he tosses her overboard, her fall causing water to splash all the way up to the edge of the ship and the air to fill momentarily with her surprised exclaim.

Rick prepared himself to jump as well, but before he could do so a black hood climbed up the side of the ship and pounced on Rick, causing him to fall backwards with the opponent on top of him. The minute the two men got back on their feet, black hood started throwing punches at Rick, causing him to get disoriented and allowing his foe to kick him backwards until he was rammed against a pillar with the hood's hands wrapped tightly around his neck.

Derek growled menacingly, almost feeling his fangs and claws starting to crawl out from underneath his skin, the sight of his best friend being threatened and stuck to a corner feeling him to the brim with unspeakable rage and the instinct of protection was the only thing that controlled his actions in that moment. He wouldn't allow anything to happen to his brother and partner, he was his companion, his family, his own and he was gonna protect him. In two long strides he's reached the two fighting men and he's grabbed the hood by the back of his neck, making sure that his grip is like a vice and that his claws are leaving pretty marks and the sense of excruciating pain behind them. "Not tonight, asshole" he growls dangerously before lifting the offender off the ground and tossing him aside as if he's a mere rug doll. The black hood falls on the wall and in the matter of a second he's caught fire, his agonizing scream reaching Derek's ears and causing them to buzz. But in this moment he doesn't give a shit aboti it. Derek turns to Rick, who's now rubbing at his abused neck, and gives him an inquiring look. "Thanks man" says Rick and Derek simply nods.

"Okay let's go!" Rick yells as they make their way back to the three archaeologists who are left stunned. "You're next, fellas!"

"Is this a bad time to mention that I'm not really good with heights?" says Stiles while staring at the water below and calculating the distance in his head.

"Bloody yes it is!" comes Lethy instant reply.

Derek doesn't have time for this. With a long heavy sigh and an exaggerated roll of his eyes, he's grabbed Stilinski by the waist, lifted him up despite his exclaims of protest and tossed him overboard same way Rick had done for Evelyn. "Nothing personal, kid" he shouts before Stiles has reached the water in order to hear him. No reply comes except from a splash.

"Okay, who's next?" says Derek.

"Oh no, don't you dare touch me. I've got this just fine by myself" says Lily, a no-nonsenses look covering her entire face and a threatening finger being pointed at Derek. With her eyes shooting daggers of 'I'm watching you, don't mess with me' at him, Derek watches the petite brunette jump overboard with the grace and elegance of a cat. His respect and admiration for her person only grows by the second - along with some intimidation but these details are not to be shared with anyone.

Derek turns to look at Lethy and sees that she has already one leg over the edge. "See you down below, Mr. Hale" she says, grinning slightly and doing the military salute with one hand before jumping overboard to join her friends and sister.

So now the two former legionnaires are left alone and there's nothing left to do except jumping over. Rick puts the shack with their weapons on his back but before he can jump over, the little weasel known as the warden runs to them screaming: "What are we going to do? What are we going to do?"

"Wait here! We'll go get help" says Rick feigning reassurance but the next possible minute he's jumped into the sea. Derek allows a tiny smirk to cross his features before climbing the gunwale himself and placing both legs over the edge. When the warden turns around frantically to look at him, he gives him his best "see you later, shitface" look and jumps to the water.

The force field of the water blocks out all sounds for a brief amount of time and Derek finds himself being comforted and calmed by that. Unfortunately, he has to return to the surface a moment afterwards, leaving the serenity of the soundless depths behind him. He lets out a gasp to breath in the very necessary oxygen, his now wet hair sticking to his forehead and the weight of his soaked up clothes sticking to his skin in a nasty feeling that he could honestly do without. His first instinct is to search for Lethy and Rick along the surface and thankfully he sees that they've already come up for air - so has the rest of their group.

And judging by the annoying weasel whines that echo from somewhere close to him, so has the warden. He growls in frustration and rolls his eyes once again at the annoying realization. Oh well, they'll have a chance to get rid of him some other time.

"Wait a second!" says Lethy while looking around in a worried search. "Where's Jonathan?" as if on cue, a moment after she's spoken her question a high-pitched scream that could easily belong to a girl echoes, followed by a loud splash and the sudden appearance of none other than Jonathan Carnahan himself. "Never mind" she says and once again her words are the only thing that can make him wanna crack a smile.

The group consisted of two former legionnaires, five archaeologists and a prison warden swam all the way to the coast side, as did the remaining members of the ship crew and the passengers that had managed to jump overboard before getting hit by the bullets. "We've lost everything..." Evelyn started rambling as they set foot onto dry land. "The books...all of the equipment...all of my...clothes!"

"And ours too! Don't forget that, honey!" Lily pointed out, a finger raised in the air. With her wet moppy hair and soaked up clothes, along with her small frame and fiery attitude, the young girl reminded Derek of a cat that was getting antsy at the fact that she had gotten all wet. It was both funny and painful to look at.

"And my knives!" Lethy piped in, a sorrowful look frowning her beautiful features and slashing his heart in too. He hated seeing her sad. It was like looking at a tragic painting, fair yet soul-wrenching. He knew how much those blades meant to Lethy and in that moment he'd do anything to chase away that sentiment from her heart.

"Hey! Hey! O'Connell! Hale!" Derek was struck with a strange sense of familiarity and disgust at the sound of someone calling for him and Rick. Both men turned around only to see a meek, measly, sad excuse of human being soaked up and standing at the opposite side of the river Nile. "Is that Beni?" asks Derek.

"Unfortunately" says Rick.

"Can I kill him?"

"Already tried it, man. The damn bastard has nine lives apparently. Leave him, we'll deal with him later" says Rick, yet Derek can't help but growl angrily and annoyed at the sight of the pathetic rat.

"Looks to me like we've got all the horses!" the pale rat yells, a wicked grin pulling at the edges of his thin, rotting mouth. "Hey Beni! Looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!" comes Rick's response and this time Derek smiles for real, especially after seeing Beni get all dramatic over his own stupidity.

They didn't have time to worry about a piece of shit though. They had to find a shelter for the night, dry themselves up and try not to get eaten by any jungle animals until the crack of dawn when they'd have to search for the nearest city and pick up supplies to make up for their losses.

With a heavy sigh and an eye roll, Derek realized that this was gonna be one of those really long nights.

* * *

 **WOW! Two chapters in a row and in such a short span of time! I know! Who's that girl?! Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter and hopefully I'll see you again soon with a new chap! Coming up next are some of my favorite scenes that I've planned for this story and I simply cannot wait! #Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess ;-)**


	8. Underneath The Stars, We Find Ourselves

That night, Lethy couldn't sleep at all.

Their team had found a decent place to build up a camp out of the few supplies that the boys had managed to salvage from the flaming ship. It was an open field in the middle of the jungle, not too far away from the Mile in order not to lose access to clean water and a much necessary bathroom area. The trees surrounded them like a natural protective wall and the stars served as their blanket in the chilly desert night. Thankfully, for people like her team and the former legionnaires, sleeping out in the open, underneath the stars, on the cold hard floor of nature and being surrounded by bugs and strange noises in the night had always been a regular occurrence. But for people like her oldest sister, who lately was hardly ever getting out of that neatly clean library of hers, and her brother, who gets squeamish and icky with almost everything...let's just say, it took some serious persuasion and the type of reassurance you offer to little kids in order to finally convince them that a night outdoors wasn't gonna kill them!

All in all, Lethy didn't mind sleeping out in the open. She enjoyed the fresh breeze caressing her skin and the free star-gazing opportunity. There were two factors that resulted in her not being able to shut an eyelid all night long. One, the adrenaline was still pumping through the veins from the battle that occurred not too long ago. She was always on edge after a brutal fight like the one they just endured and every time she finds great trouble in resting afterwards. And two...THE WARDEN'S BLOODY ROAR OF A SNORING! She swore it sounded like a pure animal was being pushed through the meat grinder and that was their final words of agony before meeting its inevitable doom! It was the single nastiest sound she had ever heard and, admittedly, she had thought of killing him at least four times already! She probably would have...if she still had her blades. At the tragic realization that the blades she had come so accustomed to and had gotten so in touch with were gone, she felt a small pang of sadness in her heart.

Her thoughts were once again interrupted by the most infuriating sound in the entire world. "Oh for the love of God!" she hissed angrily.

"I'm pretty sure if God was the least bit interested in our well-being he would have put him and us out of our misery" this time the voice that reached Lethy's ears was a welcome and pure sound with a gruff yet honeyed color and she instantly felt comforted by it.

"Can't sleep either?" she questioned the voice talking to her from the other side of the camp fire they had put up a few hours ago. "I'm surprised anyone can, what with all that noise" he said. As if on cue, the warden let out another heart-stopping, deafening, maddening snore and Lethy finally had enough of it. "Okay that's it" she announced in an angry huff, raising her hands in the air and getting up in a tantrum.

"Where do you think you're going?" Derek inquired once he caught sight of her moving away from the campsite. Lethy turns around and throws him a deadpan of a look. "Away from this" she said motioning towards the warden's sleeping and heaving body. "I'm still on edge from having my head almost blown off and if I spend two more minutes listening to this shit I'm going to choke him to death! Now you can either come with me or stay here and have your ears bleed out!" she declares and begins her route once again.

Not two seconds have passed and she hears a loud commotion behind her, followed by a pair of heavy yet speedy footsteps. As if on cue she notices Derek's broad silhouette taking up the entire space of her peripheral vision. "Just for the record, princess" he says "I would have let you choke him to death. If anything, I would have helped you dump the body in the Nile"

 _That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me!_ she thinks and laughs at both her thoughts and Derek's comment, the atmosphere around them changing from irritated to light and easy-going.

Lethy leads him back to the riverside where she finds an appropriate seat by the coast and lets out a long, loud, relieved sigh. "Ahh! Peace and quiet, at long last!" she declares, a joyful smile adorning her lips while her eyes are closed in an expression of absolute serenity and relaxation.

* * *

Derek's eyes bore into her beautiful form, burning holes into her otherwise flawless complexion. He just can't help himself, he simply has to admire her! The way her long neck stretches out like a swan's, the way the same features he saw igniting by the fire of battle just a couple of hours ago now are soft and sweet like the waters of the river flowing next to them - equally beautiful too - and the lovely smile that causes the cupid bow of her lips to mark his heart...She is a true and absolute vision!

As if sensing his eyes on her form, she cracks her own open and points them to his direction. Thankfully, he manages to rip them away before getting caught and to take up a neutral expression as to not tell-tale his previous embarrassing actions. When he convinces himself that it's safe to look at her once more, there is no accusation in her eyes only slight curiosity - in regards to what, he doesn't know. She lets out a small chuckle and shakes her head. "Are you just gonna stand there all night or are you gonna join me already?" she says and even though her words baffle her mind for a second, his body knows what to do and takes him to seat right next to her. "Better don't you think?" she says with a light grin and he merely nods his head out of fear of what he would actually say at the time. _No, any sort of distance is wrong between us, the only time I'll be fully satisfied is if when you'll be flushed against my body._ Yeah, these weren't the kind of words she was expecting for sure.

"It's so beautiful out here" she comments, her gaze pointed to the heavens above. "All these stars in the sky...it almost looks as if it's not real. Like they're a painting or a tapestry. It'd be almost impossible for someone to guess that a couple of hours ago there was a battle going on in these exact same waters" she says in a soft tone, merely expressing her thoughts loudly.

"Can't say I disagree with you on this one, princess" he says in his usual neutral voice while also staring at the white dots against the endless blanket of deep black-blue.

"Who were these people that attacked our ship?" she asked, her brows furrowing. Derek shrugged his shoulders, his face not showing any emotion. "Your guess is as good as mine, princess" he replies. "All I can tell you is that Rick and I encountered them at Hammunaptra too. They weren't any friendlier back then either, let me tell you that"

"They attacked you?"

"They sent our entire damn garrison to the grave" he says in an apathetic voice, but judging by the mortified look on her face his words had managed to both stun and puncture her. "I think that they don't want us to find whatever is buried underneath all that sand. I told you, this place is wretched. Cursed at the very least! I could feel it in my bones the entire time we were there" he adds.

"I'm afraid you're probably right" she says in a low voice, as if afraid to admit it even to herself. "After all, they did came after my sister, and according to Evie they were after the map for Hammunaptra and an alleged key"

"Key? What key? Rick and I never had any key on us"

"That's what she told the guy who had his hook against her throat too, but he didn't believe her. Thankfully that rotten bastard is now being eaten by fishes at the bottom of the river" she says spitefully, although he can't really blame her. He would have - and had - acted the same way when it came to Rick's life back there.

There was a silent pause that followed until Derek spoke once again. "I'm sorry that you lost your knives". She gives him a surprised look as if she wasn't expecting him to have noticed her great sorrow regarding the loss of her beloved weapons but then her face was decorated by a lovely smile, small yet significant, that made any ice left in Derek's heart melt away. He was slowly gaining ground with her and that filled him with the utmost pride. "It's alright, don't worry about it. They're just objects. It's the memories that come with them that matter. And thankfully these are the kind of things that I will never, ever, lose" she says.

"Although, I have to admit, that now I feel like learning how to shoot is a more urgent need than ever" she points out, chuckling at her own comment. At that he allows himself to let out a small chuckle as well. "It's true, you do tend to bring knives into gunfights" he says and she playfully smacks him in the arm as a reaction to his teasing. He is left bewildered both at the casual intimate act of contact and the realization that this is the closest he's been to another human being in...years if not ever! With Rick there are always brotherly remarks, fist-bumps and casual teasing going on between the two of them, but this? This is something entirely new to him! He's never felt comfortable enough with anyone to actually crack jokes, laugh with his heart or even smile for that matter. And yet here he is now, exchanging quick wits and fun teases with the British/Egyptian archaeologist that has been haunting his dreams for months and months on end.

"Then how about we make that lesson happen already, huh smarty-pants?" she says with a wide grin decorating her features. Derek has to shake himself out of his trance in order to fully grasp the words that came out of her mouth. "What?" he questions with a furrowed brow, but she has already jumped to her feet excitedly. "Think about it! This is an open, uninhabited area, no one around for miles...And these bloody traitors back there didn't wake up with the pig's snoring festival! I doubt whether a gunshot will do the trick! Besides, that bloody thing never leaves your hip!" she says, pointing a finger to the gun-holder by his side where his faithful pistol has been residing since he purchased it a couple of months prior in America. He has to admit; when Alethea Carnahan wants something she'll stop at nothing in order to get it.

He's willing to give her a lot more than just a mere shooting session, but those are the type of services she'll have to ask for - or, even better, _beg fo_ r - first. And he'll give his best performance, no questions asked. But for the time being, he'll have to appease himself with simply satisfying that one need of hers. It's better than nothing. So he shakes his head in feigned defeat and replies: "Okay!"

"Hell yes!" she says in her most excited voice, her eyes twinkling and his restraints slowly breaking apart.

He stands up and takes the gun out of his holder. "Okay turn around" he instructs and after a momentary hesitation she does so. He comes to stand behind her, the hitch in her breath and the spike in her scent being almost impossible to ignore, and places the gun in her hand with soft and gentle movements as if operating a dangerous machine - his own control. Her heart starts beating louder, he can practically _hear_ the hair standing up on high alert on her arm and notices her chest heaving at the mere touch of their hands - the gentleness and care in his movements that seem to tantalize her.

* * *

"You see that tree over there?" he says lowly to her ear, a simply spoken instruction which Lethy should _not_ by any means feel aroused by. And yet it's the husk of his voice, the warmth of his breath against her ear and the intoxicating scent of his musk that make her head fill with unsavory thoughts, her heart to lose count of its beats and her knees to feel weak. _Focus dammit!_ she reminds herself. She shakes her head clean of any unnecessary, distracting, thoughts, takes a deep breath to ground herself and gulps down the knot in her throat. She finally nods affirmatively, having officially pointed her gaze towards the big tree with the hollow circle in his middle - like a nature-made practice target - that Derek had showed her.

"Aim for the hole in the middle" he instructs and takes her hand in his, a rush of adrenaline jumping up and down her spine as he envelops her smaller hand in his bigger palm, lifts her arm up to the height it's appropriate and brings her body back until they are flushed against each other. "Always control your breathing in times like that. Make sure it's steady and calm" he says and she wills her body to stop hyperventilating and actually start breathing normally. "Keep your stance still, you must always have perfect balance" he says and brings his hand to her waist in order to keep her still - her inner self has melted into a puddle of goo.

"It's almost like dancing. There are steps and moods you have to follow in order to get it right. If you keep this in mind, you'll always have a clear target" he says and finally lets go of her, like the father who lets his kid go after having learned to ride the back by itself. She instantly misses the warmth of his body against her own, the strength of his arms, the feeling of safety he offered her...but she doesn't let it show. Instead, she focuses on her target with a hawk's eye.

"Ready?" he says and she nods.

"Aim". She does so.

"Fire!" he instructs and at the exact same moment her finger has squeezed the trigger, the gun has gone off and the bullet has flown through the air!

There's a thick line of smoke connecting her gun and the bullet and soon enough she hears a loud bang which signals that the little piece of metal has found its target - or at least _a_ target, she can't be sure that she's managed to hit bull's eye on effort number one! "Did I hit it?" she asks a little louder than intended due to the light buzzing in her ears that doesn't allow her voice to fully reach them. "Let's see" says Derek and rushes towards the tree. He rummages inside the hollow place for a short amount of time and then comes back to her, his hands placed behind his back in a mysterious way. "So? Did I hit it?" she asks hopefully. Derek allows a small grin to cross his features before revealing the small metallic marble that he had uncovered stuck inside the hollow part of the tree - as it should have been.

* * *

He holds the bullet by the tips of his fingers in front of the young woman's ecstatic, grin-full face and she lets out a laughter of genuine happiness and triumph. With her eyes shinning brighter than the stars, the smile lighting up her entire face and the sugary sweetness of happiness coloring her scent, Derek is positive that he has never seen her so beautiful before. "I did it! I did it! I hit the mark!" she says. It's visible that she wants to start jumping up and down, but somehow she manages to contain herself. Though Derek wouldn't have asked her to do so. Her joy is contagious and he even feels his own lips cracking up in a smile that not even _he_ knew that he could muster.

Lethy snatches the bullet from between his fingers and holds it adoringly in her delicate hands as if it's a precious pearl she just uncovered in the bottom of the ocean, a valuable treasure, the only token of her victory and accomplishment. He just keeps staring at her with awe visible in his eyes. "Thank you" she tells him, offering him the most priceless gift - a true smile, only for him. "Thank you, thank you!" he could not have predicted what came next. In her over-excitement, she flung herself forward and caught him completely off-guard when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and... _hugged_ him tightly as if that was the most natural thing in the world. He was left speechless, breathless, unsure of what to do, what should his next movement be in order not to scare her or break this precious moment with her. "You're welcome" he simply says in a whisper and very hesitantly wraps his own arms around her curvy yet fit figure.

He keeps his palms firmly placed against the middle of her back, not moving them lower or higher out of fear of where either one of those directions would lead him to. Nonetheless, he can feel how soft she is, how much strength there is in the feminine muscles of her body - the body of a dancer and an acrobat as she had told him so herself. Yet, he craved to touch her more, to explore every navel, hollow point and valley of her body, to mold his hands against her lovely curves. He longed to see how she would dance for him, seated upon his lap, as he would love her every way she wished him to. That's what he truly wanted; to love her, to worship her, to make her his. To experience her beauty and her might. His thoughts were logical and more than justified when dealing with a young woman as beautiful, radiant and fascinating as Alethea Carnahan, who visibly craved him as much as he craved her. A young woman that was meant to be loved thoroughly and irrevocably. By him and no one else from now on, if she so wished it to.

These were his thoughts but he couldn't do anything about them. Couldn't act on his intentions, not just yet. But when the time would be right, he'd show her just how much he wanted her.

* * *

It took Lethy a couple of moments to realize what she had just done. The feeling of his arms wrapped around her, his hands on her body holding her so carefully, his heart beating so close to her own...They had worked just fine to distract her! Yet, even when she realized how out of line she had probably acted, she didn't forcefully extract herself from Derek's body. She hesitantly, carefully and very slowly - _unwillingly_ would be the right word - tore herself from his warm embrace. Just as _unwillingly_ as she had moved he let her go, their gazes avoiding each other for a short period of time, until they had...let's say, _successfully_ gotten rid of all lingering sensations that their little act of intimacy had left behind.

"I really do thank you for helping me out" she said tenderly.

"Don't even mention it, princess" he said, his voice coming out a bit strained, a tell-tale that he was still a bit affected by their previous moment of unison.

"Who knows? Maybe one day I'll teach you how to work with knives" she said in an attempt to lighten up the mood. He let out a small chuckle that instantly warmed her hug. "Maybe someday" he said.

"Oh! Here!" she said, offering back the gun that was still tucked away in her palm, but he raised his hand in denial. "Keep it, princess. You need it more than I do. Besides! I have plenty of those" he said and she chuckled at the memory of the heavy bag full of weapons that he had laid before her back on the boat.

They spent some time in peaceful silence, merely enjoying each other's company, the rhythmic song of the current, the beauty of the constellations, until finally deciding to head back to the camp. There they found all of their dear companions awake and worried sick. "There you are!" Evie exclaimed the moment they came out from amongst the trees. She rushed to her sister and suffocated her in a bone-crushing hug. "We were worried sick! Where were you?" she spared a moment to throw a maternally dangerous glare at Derek who visibly recoiled at and begged Lethy for help with his eyes. "We were by the riverside. Relax, nothing bad happened" she assured her sister.

"We heard a gunshot and it startled us. When we woke up, you two were gone" Evie explains.

"Oh now you're awake!" Lethy exclaimed right back with an exasperated expression on her face. "What about when that pig was snoring our poor ears to death?!" she says pointing at the warden. "Hey!" he exclaims in a humorous offended manner. "Don't hey me! It's a dreadful sound!" says Lethy, now being backed up by Jonathan's agreement.

"Yeah okay but what was the gunshot?" asked Rick.

"I was teaching her how to shoot" says Derek casually.

"You of all people wanted to learn how to shoot?" asks Evie bewildered.

"It's not a bad thing to wanna have a complete education in self-defense, sister" says Lethy. "We had some free time to spare, you guys were sleeping like stones - or so we thought -" here comes the accusatory glare "and Derek was enough of a gentleman to want to teach me a few things. That's all, alright?" she looks expectantly at her sister, a reassuring look on Lethy's face. Evie sighs and simply replies: "Alright, if you say so I trust you"

"Oh come on-" Stiles attempted to speak up, probably having prepared some sultry remark to dig at Derek and Lethy in his attempt to make their late night rendez-vous something scandalous and worth of teasing, but thankfully Lily was there to shut his mouth by a wrapping a hand around it like a gag. "Don't mind him, I'll handle it" she says and Stiles through muffled rambles expresses his discomfort at the situation but Lily only holds him tighter. "Thank you, girl" says Lethy at her best friend, which she replies with a look that said: 'I got you, sister'.

After moving past that embarrassing and more than awkward moment, the companionship goes back to sleep, the sky and its stars being the last thing they see before being transported into the field of dreams.

Lethy and Derek lie on opposite sides of the still burning campfire, staring intently at each other, the significance of their shared moments electrifying the air between them. Lethy feel asleep staring at Derek's mesmerizing forest green orbs, feeling safer than ever before, hoping and praying that she would see these eyes in her dreams too. That she would be in his arms again. And that this time they wouldn't have to part.

* * *

 **One more chapter has come to an end and I hope you guys have enjoyed it! Don't forget to comment, vote and support this story with your love! Thank you and see you at next chapter, my Derek's princesses! ;-) ;-)**


	9. Once Upon A Time, Once Upon A Dream

**YOU GUYS! THIS IS IT! You have no idea how long I've been waiting to write this chapter! This is the starting point and from now on expect my all time favorite scenes between our darling #Dethy to start taking place! Of course all of their scenes are close to my heart...but this is where the OTP goodness begins! ;-) ;-) Before we start I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who simply took the time to peruse through the story. It means the world to me! Like you don't even know!**

 **Also, I'd like to point out that from this point on the story will start leaning towards the more mature side. Expect some smutty, lemon details to be added here and there. I haven't decided yet exactly how explicit the smut is going to be, but I still wanted to let you guys know in case you ain't here for that kind of shiz. As always, my main concern is to be respectful of my audience's views and comfort. So here's your warning. If you don't like to read explicit scenes, feel free to skip them and focus on the plot. But if you love smut as much as I do...hold on tight to your tiaras, my princesses, cuz shiz is about to get super real! ;-) ;-)**

 **One last thing is that I will be taking some creative liberties regarding some historical elements of the story. I have basically created my own rituals and ways of function for the priestesses of goddess Hathor which I know have nothing to do with historical accuracy but have everything to do with my storytelling needs so they're necessary to be done. I hope that I won't offend anyone with this liberty, but it's fiction so the rules can bend a little bit if it helps the story grow - on my opinion.**

 **Okay! That's all I had to say! Sorry for the long A/N but it was a necessary evil. Without any further ado, let's hop into the chapter!**

* * *

 _Lethy dreamed of a palace made of pure gold in an old forgotten land framed by sand hills and a clear blue sky. She dreamed of a group of dancing women, dressed in fine silks, performing in a large throne room with great golden walls full of hieroglyphic images. And that in the center of it all, the lead performer was none other but her._

 _In her dream, she was moving her body in the rhythm of a strange hypnotic melody like the one snake charmers use to attract their serpent assistants. She, too, swayed and rocked the curves of her silk-clad frame like one of those slithering creatures. An enticing cobra answering the call of the music and doing her master's biding by surrendering her body to its power. A seductress, an alluring presence radiating femininity, desire and eroticism, expressing the will of the goddess Hathor as she was assigned to do._

 _Lethy moved her arms in circles above her head and in snake-like waves around her torso while her legs practically walked on air, motivated by the magnetism of the song. She swung her body like a professional belly dancer, moving her hips and pulsing her abs in an expressive, powerful way. She danced and danced and danced...until the melody finally came to an end._

 _She and the rest of the dancers fell on the golden shimmering floor, as if the pause of the song had drained their bodies of all energy and didn't have a reason to be standing tall anymore. Although Lethy's stance looked more like a bow of respect... Applause and cheers erupted all around them, praising their magnificent performance. And then a voice, loud, deep and imposing broke out from the crowd, sounding more powerful than all the fuss going on in the room. It ceased the rest of the noise and instantly drew Lethy's attention. The voice belonged to a man, no doubt, and was speaking words in a strange, foreign language which Lethy's archaeologist's mind recognized as ancient Egyptian. Yet, in her dream state, they sounded as familiar as her mother tongue and she could understand every word that was being spoken._

 _"Marvelous! Truly marvelous!" the man announced in his heavy baritone that was now colored by a merry tone. "The greatest sight in all of Egypt! Beauty in its truest of forms! Once again, our beloved goddess Hathor looks down at us and smiles her brightest smile at the demonstration her faithful priestesses have put on for us all! Stand up, my lovely flowers, and grant us the privilege to feast upon your fairness once more!"_

 _The echo of this man's order was the cue Lethy needed to pick herself up from the ground and stand up tall anew. Her posture was proud yet with an air of humility, not arrogance, out of pure instinctual respect for the man in question and her face was decorated by a small satisfied smile. And such, Lethy finally got the chance to take a closer look at her audience. A few feet away from where she was standing, there was a luxurious throne made of the finest gold, upon which the man who had previously spoken sat. He was dressed in fine clothes, a large golden crown that only a pharaoh could ever wear adorned his head, whilst the famous golden beard was protruding from his chin - the true symbol of a pharaoh's status and power. In her dream Lethy recognized the man as Pharaoh Seti the First, and for some strange reason Lethy felt the utmost respect and admiration for the ancient leader's person. She couldn't explain exactly what made her feel that way towards him, it almost felt as if it was something engraved to her bones and branded on her heart. A sense of duty and honor that was immediately connected to her every belief and instinct._

 _To his left, a true Egyptian beauty stood. A woman with long black hair, dark obsidian eyes framed by thick lines of kole, a lovely face with sharp bone structure whose bronze complexion was stained by details of golden makeup upon her lips and eyes. Her outfit was a slightly more revealing version of the one Lethy was currently wearing - and that was saying a lot considering the fact that Lethy's outfit was already too revealing to begin with - while her hair was decorated by beads of gold. She was beautiful, indeed, but her eyes were ice-cold and penetrating as she glared at Alethea. Lethy's subconscious emotions towards said person were a stark contrast to the ones she had for the pharaoh. That woman - who, in her mind, Alethea identified as Anck-su-Namun - radiated nothing but hostility and awoke and disdain within Alethea's heart the likes of which she hadn't encountered in any life. There was a ferocity in her gaze, an unspoken wickedness that caused shivers to run down Lethy's spine but she paid no mind to them and didn't let her smile fall on bit. Behind Anck-su-Namun stood a man dressed in a black cloak, his head was shaved giving away his profession and status as the royal high priest and there was a familiarity in his face that Alethea had only ever experienced when looking at Evie's or Jonathan's eyes. She knew him very personally, they shared a connection that was deep and thick like blood..._ His name was Imhotep _, at least according to her dream's subconscious. Despite the familiar connection that she was experiencing, her feelings for this man were extremely torn. As if there was a strain that forbade her heart from feeling warmth and affection towards him anymore as she used to in the past..._

 _To the pharaoh's right, Alethea's eyes firstly fell upon a young woman of exquisite beauty that resembled some sort of ancient Egyptian goddess! She was only a few years older than her, though her face was lovely and youthful with a bronze complexion that suited a daughter of the Nile, harmonic facial features, delicate eyebrows and a pair of warm chestnut colored eyes that harbored nothing but kindness and friendliness within them. Her hair were also really long and black a star-less night, with bluntly-cut bangs and decorated with little freckles of gold. She wore a luxurious headpiece that showcased the woman's status as the pharaoh's daughter and lots of jewelery made by the same precious gems and metals as her father's._ Nefertiri _, her dream subconscious whispered the knowledge to her. The young woman with the beautiful printed gown had her hands together in the form of a small clap and was looking at Lethy with the sweetest smile in the world. It reminded her of Lily in many ways; in the tenderness of her gaze, the comfort and warmth radiating from her smile, the positive and happy emotions that she was stirring within her heart. She didn't know any better but if she had to guess she'd say that she and the princess were...friends! At least in this strange, unearthly, magnificent universe that her mind had created._

 _But then Alethea's eyes fell upon the man that was standing to the pharaoh's right, behind the princess, as if there to protect both members of the royal clan...and all breath left her body. At least her real body, because dream Alethea was reacting very differently to the sight before her._ The man was Derek Hale! _Of course not the same version as the one Alethea had come to know in her waking life...but it still was him undoubtedly! Same angular jaw and sharp cheekbones, same thick brows, slender nose and full lips. Same piercing forest green eyes that could make any woman, especially her, drop to her knees and worship him like a god. His visage was exactly the same. Only difference was that his hair were much longer; a wonderful mane of dark locks that framed his fingers and fell to his broad shoulders like a waterfall of pure darkness that she just wanted to dip her fingers in and feel it for the rest of eternity. Also, the outfit he was currently wearing was much different than the ones she would normally see him wear. It looked like a gladiatorial piece, one that left very little to the imagination too. A long black cape that cascaded down his back, held together by two golden clasps with the emblem of a wolf on them attached to a black strap across his chest, a mere black loin cloth meant to hide his more prominent male feature and a pair of battle sandals._

 _Nonetheless, he was practically naked. His chest was bare to her hungry gaze, every single plane and rippling muscle on full display for her to admire and crave, glistening underneath the Egyptian sunlight that crept through the curtains decorating the walls, making him look like a statue carved out by the finest of marbles and sculptured by Michaelangelo himself. So were his arms, oh how broad and muscled they were. The same arms that held her tightly not so long ago, the ones Alethea remembered being so very strong as they circled her frame, yet she had never felt safer in her life. Dream Alethea, though, apparently had more vivid and intriguing memories of Derek's sinful body than real life Alethea. In dream Lethy's mind lived tons of memories of those arms holding her body impossibly close to his as she was dancing on his lap. Of his ripped abdominals pulsing against her stomach as they were both nearing the edge. Of those powerful hands that were meant to hold a sword gripping her hips or her breasts as she rode him vigorously. Of those long black locks caressing her cheeks and his otherworldly green eyes looking down at her with so much love and desire as he made love to her. In her sleep, Lethy felt herself growing hot and heavy, her body temperature reaching feverish heights and sweat gathering at her brow. Her heart was beating like a drum against her ribcage, her core clenching with desire and moans gathering at the edge of her throat in need to be released. Thankfully, some secret logic forbade her from letting out any unsavory sounds - or reaching between her legs to relive some of the ache the sultry imagery had caused to form in her most secret parts._

 _Derek's face was stoic, his posture stern, radiating nothing but power. And yet, his eyes had a merry and mischievous glint in them, one that dream Lethy seemed to know all too well judging by the foxy smile that now adorned her features as she finally locked gazes with the man - or more like, god! - in question. The string of thoughts that crossed dream Lethy's mind once her gaze had met Derek's shocked real life Lethy to no end. And yet, they felt so right and natural and wonderful... Her thoughts harbored nothing but desire and want and pure adoration. And love! The king of her emotions was love! She was in love with him! When they'd look at each other the rest of the world simply disappeared. Nothing else mattered, not the crowd of servants and royals surrounding them, not the two mysterious figures staining the air with their bad aura, not even the pharaoh. They were the center of each other's universe, their axis, their heart and soul. She was his everything and he was hers. Alethea felt it all and she nearly choked on a sob in her sleep. It was all so strong, so intense, so beautiful that it brought tears to her eyes. She didn't know a love like that could exist and yet here she was now getting a small taste of it and only craving to receive more. And apparently dream Lethy knew dream Derek all too well for she recognized the glint in his eyes instantly. She knew her beloved like the back of her hand, she knew how he enjoyed watching her dance like that, it always stirred up his desire and longing. And she was certain that he would show her just how much he had enjoyed her performance later that same night. Once again, Lethy blushed in her sleep and wiggled uncomfortable at the new heat wave that had just hit her._

 _"And who else would make for a better choice, for the leader of these beauties and the keeper of our most precious treasure," the pharaoh spoke once again "than the fairest flower in all of Egypt and Hathor's finest?" he pointed with his hand towards dream Alethea and a surge of pride filled her due to having earned the pharaoh's praise. The ancient king removed himself from his pedestal and headed towards her, causing Alethea to take a small bow of respect to show how honored she felt that the great king had chosen to approach her. "I am but your humble servant, my liege. My life is worthy only as long as I get to serve you and the will of my lady Hathor" she says solemnly while looking up at the older man. In her head she added 'and as long as I get to be loved by your first warrior" but she decided to leave that part out for fear of sounding too crude for the occasion. Dream Derek seemed to be able to read her mind though, because the next time their gazes locked he was smirking at her slightly to which she replied with a mischievous look of her own. The pharaoh offered her his hands and helped her up, but she kept her head bowed for good measuring. "Beauty, grace and loyalty. Some of the finest features" he said and then pointed his head towards Derek's counterpart. "You have chosen well, my friend. Your bride is indeed the greatest treasure in all of Egypt" and with those words, he beckoned Derek to leave his place upon the pedestal and approach the two of them. With every step he took closer to her, Alethea could feel both of her hearts beating to extreme speeds. He was so imposing, so powerful, so tall and proud. He was the handsomest man she had ever seen and dream Alethea still couldn't believe that she got to call him her own._

 _When only a couple of inches were the only thing separating the two obvious lovers, the pharaoh took both of their hands and united them. Alethea felt sparks flying up to her spine at the simple touch, the roughness of Derek's skin teasing her own soft and tender flesh as it rubbed against it, caressing her in a secret, teasing way that only the two of them shared. "My finest warrior and the high priestess of love. I couldn't have thought of a better pair myself. I wish that your marriage is a long and prosperous one, filled with heirs carrying the gift of strength from their father and the gift of beauty from their mother. From now on your union has the blessing of your pharaoh and through his hand the blessing of the gods! May the goddess Hathor protects you from harm and allows you to celebrate your love for as long as time lasts, in this life and the next!" the pharaoh announced rawbustly and the room erupted in cheers once more._

 _Dream Alethea spared only a glance at her friend Nefertiri to see her smiling brightly at her, feeling happy with her friend's happiness, before reconnecting her gaze with dream Derek's. Even a second too long away from these eyes felt like an unbearable and bleak eternity to her. She smiled ecstatically at her husband-to-be and so did he. He actually, genuinely smiled at her! There was nothing forced or strained about it, nothing fake, nothing misplaced. He was truly happy and he was showing it! Lethy had never seen him this handsome in either one of her subconsciouses! Derek brought her hands to his lips and placed a gentle kiss upon them, causing both of her systems to go haywire with enthrallment! He was trying to keep himself under control, to not fall way out of line while at the presence of their pharaoh, so he simply savored that seemingly innocent demonstration of their love. But Lethy could read in his eyes all of his intentions, every sinful thought that was running through his head, every way he was planning to celebrate their love first chance he got once they found themselves alone. And she couldn't wait to experience them all._

 _"My love" Derek spoke in the same ancient language as the pharaoh, but his words and the depth of their meaning struck Lethy's heart as clear as day._

 _"My heart" it felt strange having the foreign words coming out of her lips, but Alethea was too lost in Derek's eyes to care for anything else in the world. In that moment she was content, she was happy..._

* * *

"Lethy! Hey Lethy! Wake up girl!" Lethy was startled awake by the sound of Lily's voice calling for her. Her eyes shot open, wide as saucers, she practically pounced like a jack-in-the-box with a loose string and her heart nearly beat out of her chest from the fright and the shock of having her serenity being interrupted and disturbed so violently. She immediately felt nostalgic for that place, she missed the colors, the music and the beauty of it all. She missed the feeling of Derek's hands on her, the loving look that he kept only for her. She longed for that overall feeling of contentment and wholeness that she experienced while in that dream universe.

It took a moment for her to get back in touch with her surroundings, since the shock had thrown her off her axis completely. But thankfully she managed to ground herself back to reality and figure out that she was still lying on the cold hard jungle floor. She was still wearing the same clothes as last night, the ones that had gotten extremely soaked when she jumped into the river and had dried up into an uncomfortable, sticky and rough mess against her sensitive flesh - which had gotten remarkably more sensitive than usual due to the extensive arousal that kept attacking her system all night long. Good heavens she wasn't feeling like herself at all this morning. Her subconscious was distant, lost in another dimension that she longed to go back to, her mind foggy and dizzy from the overwhelming sensations that had rocked her body all night long and everything seemed to agitate and irritate her. Nothing seemed to be good enough in this reality, everything felt...incomplete in a way! She didn't know what was going on with herself. She had experienced this type of dreams before but that was the first time that a dream had left her so completely drained, shaken up and overwhelmed. It was more explicit, it had more details and it felt more real than ever before as if that was the actual world and the one she had just woken up to was but a dull nightmare.

 _What changed?_ she questioned herself.

 _You met_ him, her mind reminded her, causing her to snap her head to Derek's direction. She watched him packing up his equipment with swift and experienced movements of his hands while being lost in a conversation with Rick. She couldn't help admiring his chiseled profile, the way the muscles of his arms clenched as he worked...nor could she stop the memories of last night from coming back to her, causing her cheeks to flush red and her abdomen to flutter with something similar to butterflies.

"Hey!" a hand on her shoulder and Lily's voice calling out to her once more managed to wake her up from her trance. "What?" Alethea inquired, finally turning around to look at her female best friend, undoubtedly sporting a glazed, almost drunk-esque look. "Are you okay?" Lily asked to know, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and slight concern. "Yeah! Yeah, of course. I'm fine, don't worry. Just a little dizzy from all this humidity and sleeping too heavy" she said and thankfully it wasn't all lie. And yet, Lily still squinted her eyes at her friend. "Is there something I should know?" she asked, nodding her head towards the direction of Derek and Rick. Lethy smiled softly, in a shy yet amused way. "Maybe later. I need to figure some things out myself first. If it turns out that I have trouble doing so on my own then I'll come to you, as you already know" Lethy assures her. Lily seems to be weighting it in her mind, but eventually nods in understanding and acceptance and says: "Okay. I trust you and I respect whatever you decide to do". That's the most important principle they had developed in their time as friends. That no matter what happens, they'll always show each other equal respect and be there for each other in times of need. Alethea offers her trusted companion an affectionate smile and rubs her hand with her own, a little habit they had acquired over the years for times like that. Lily can't help smiling back at her friend.

"Alright. Now move your behind and help us gather up our stuff. We need to reach the closest city by noon" Lily ordered in her best bossy-pants voice, causing Alethea to erupt in a fit of giggles. "At your commands, Mrs. Boss-lady" she joked, faking a military salute. "That's right. Now move it squid" Lily commanded in her own comedic voice and the two friends spared a few moments just laughing their hearts out before going back to helping everyone pack up their stuff for the continuation of their trip.

* * *

Derek could have sworn that he has never heard of a sound more beautiful than the one of her laughter. He had felt her eyes burning holes into his form, but of course when he turned around in an attempt to meet her gaze she had looked away. He couldn't fight off the small smile that like a thief crept along his lips even if he wanted to. But for some strange reason he didn't. Ever since Alethea Carnahan came into his life there was a never-ending aura of merriness surrounding him and he didn't mind savoring it one bit. What he did mind was the infuriating teasing smirk on Rick's face that hadn't left all morning. "What? Got something to say?" Derek had almost growled at his best friend, annoyed that he was mocking him and screwing up with his good mood. Rick simply raised his hands in the air in surrender, but he didn't wipe that smirk off his face - and Derek's hand was itching to do so himself. "No problem here man. Just minding my own business"

"Good for you" said Derek and went back at cleaning and packing up his pistols.

"It's just that I had never seen you going all googly eyes before and it's kinda adorable" says Rick, not afraid to rattle the waters a bit.

"Did you hit your head on some rock when you jumped off the ship? Cuz I'm pretty sure you're seeing things man" comes Derek's reply.

"Oh come on now, just admit it"

"I'm not going all googly eyes or whatever it is you wanna call it" Derek denies the obvious truth.

"Yes you are" comes Rick's persistent reply.

"Fuck you, man" Derek deadpans although by now he's pretty much unable to hold back his laughter. These two are closer than brothers, banter and digs like that are a regular occurrence between the two. It keeps them sharp, and honestly it's pretty fun giving each other hell like that. Mind you, the fun is mutual and no matter what they always deeply love each other, which is exactly why they're able to make fun of each other like that and not end up shooting each other in the end.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure that's a work for someone else" he was a bold bastard, Derek had to give him that. But still, the comment somehow stung, any sort of vulgarity addressed towards his woman - _Did I just think that? Who the hell am I? What has happened to me?_ \- rubbed him the very wrong way. "Nice going, riling up a guy with a gun" he said, pointing the pistol he was currently holding to his best friend but Rick was completely unaffected by it all and was still smiling like a shit-eating idiot. "You love me way too much to shoot me" said the offender and unfortunately it was the truth. Thankfully, Derek had enough reason to remind his animal that Rick was their family and no word coming out of his mouth was meant to harm neither them nor their woman - _Here it is again! What the hell_? "Lucky for you, too bad for me" said Derek in an exasperated voice.

"All ready to go here ladies?" an all too familiar and slightly annoying voice interrupted their little brotherly confrontation. Jonathan had enough guts to throw an arm over Rick's shoulder, Derek had to give him that. But when he noticed the arched brow look Rick was giving him he was quick to remove said member. "Yup, all set" said Derek, throwing one of the two ready bags at Rick and throwing the other one over his own shoulder. "Excellent! Then let's get going!" said the little scrawny treasure hunter before heading to the front as if he wanted to lead the team.

Rick once again glued himself to Evelyn Carnahan's side. In the end, as it was expected, it was the two of them that lead the odd team of expeditionists through the vastness of the jungle. His brother might have been giving him hell for his own infatuation, but he wasn't unaffected by the Carnahan syndrome either! If anything, he seemed to be as struck as he was! He would rile him up about it later, he decided. For the time being, he heard his animal call for once and went to find Lethy. The literal girl of his dreams was walking side by side with the little Jones firecracker - a truly explosive persona whom Derek had come to find very likable over the past couple of hours that she had demonstrated quite the moxie and coolness in her. The two friends were simply talking and smiling idly, giving off the impression of a normal Tuesday - which it probably was, at least for the two of them - until Lily's eyes caught Derek's form wondering too close by. She instantly interrupted their talk and decided to go meet up with the Stilinski kid. But only after having successfully teased up her friend with a smart remark and a mischievous smirk which left Lethy looking all flushed and speechless. Derek immediately decided that he adored that look on her and couldn't wait being the cause of it as well - in more ways than one.

"Hey" he greeted her casually.

"Hi" the fair brunette replied with a soft voice, a gentle smile and a light dust of pink decorating her lovely cheeks. Was he hallucinating or was she getting more beautiful by the minute?

He shook his head clean - for the time being - and put his mind back on the current game. "Are you and the little devil dishing on anything I should know?" he asked in his best casual, devil-may-care and cocky voice. Lethy let out another one of her song-like chuckles that left him searching for his missing heartbeat. "No, I don't think so" she simply said.

"Hey? Can I ask you something?" he said.

"Sure, go ahead" she said.

"I don't mind to pry but...are you feeling okay? Cuz from what I heard last night you were having quite the troublesome sleep. Just wanted to make sure you're feeling good that's all" he knew that he was stepping on fragile ice with this question but he couldn't just let it slide like that.

What he had heard, saw and _smelled_ last night nearly killed him! When he had first caught the sound of her moaning in her sleep, he had assumed that there was just some animal near by. But then he identified the sound and realized that it was Lethy's voice, Lethy's breathing. Originally he thought - _hoped_ \- that she was just having a bad dream...but then her moans started getting more frequent, and heartier and breathier...and soon enough there was no doubt in his mind regarding the type of dream Alethea was having. It goes without saying that he didn't manage to get any sleep for the rest of the night, not with the girl of his greatest fantasies having a wet dream right next to him. He should have done something to stop himself from breaking any more of her privacy laws, he should have ripped his damn ears off for heaven's sake! Instead, he had stayed up all night, watching her writhe in her sleep, letting out little sounds of pure hedonism as her chest heaved in shallow breaths - just like all those times they had managed to steal some moments of intimacy amongst all the chaos of the expedition - while her hands roamed her body in the hopes of reliving some of the ache she was feeling. He had wanted to go to her, he had wanted to replace her hands with his own and finally drive her over the edge, _efficiently and certainly_! But for whatever reason, he had found some strength and some control within himself and so he had managed to keep his animal in check and himself firmly locked in his place. _Locked in place with a fire going on in his groin!_

He was surprised that the rest of the group didn't hear a thing though! Must have been either really deep sleepers or she was being quieter than he thought and he was hearing everything more intensely due to his hyper-sense...

Nonetheless he would have been fine...But then she had whispered his name in her sleep, right before attempting to slip a hand between her legs - but stopping on the last minute as if somehow recovering her senses even amongst all that mayhem of senses she was experiencing. But even that little action was enough for Derek to absolutely lose his mind and nearly go mad with lust. She was dreaming of _him_! She was having passionate, lustful, wet dream type of thoughts about _him_! And that was all it took for him to wanna howl in triumph and pride, to want to pound his chest and celebrate the gods above for their glory! That single action almost made his heart, mind and any other organ Alethea Carnahan now was holding captive with her enchantment explode! Albeit, it wasn't only his manly pride that was satisfied by this new development. For the first time he was happy because he finally found out that she wanted him back! That she harbored the same feelings as he, that this strange connection and the undeniable longing wasn't one-sided as he dreaded! He had a legitimate chance and that made him feel like flying on cloud nine!

* * *

Lethy stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes growing wide as twin moons, her heartbeat reaching its speed limit and her complexion's color a mixture of deadly shocked whiteness and embarrassed rosiness! _He'd heard her?!_ Oh that was worse than any scenario she could have thought of herself! How much had he heard? _What_ exactly had he heard? Had he figured out what she was dreaming of - that she was thinking of _him_ in particular? Her mind was going haywire with worries and paranoia and panic...but then a little idea shone some little to this whole madness! She decided to use this opportunity in order to _finally_ get some answers on a very hot topic that's been bothering for God knows how long! So, she gathered up her wits, fought back the blush on her cheeks and tried to play it casual and calm. "Yes, I'm fine, you needn't worry about a thing!" she assured him.

"You sure?" he questioned.

"Oh yes, sure! It's just that I've been having these dreams lately...They're really hard to describe, but I've been having them for quite some time and they tend to get a bit _vivid_ at times" she was stepping into a dangerous territory, she knew that. If he wasn't experiencing the same dreams as she were he could easily think of her as a madwoman! Or worse, she could actually be a crazy person! But then he too stopped dead in his tracks, looking perplexed and a lit struck with confusion. "What kind of dreams?" he inquired to know, his brows furrowed in a semi-frown that actually looked attractive on him and a weird tone of expectation lingering in his voice. _Perhaps there's something worth inspecting here_ , she thought before resuming the execution of her plan. "They are strange, I must confess" she said. "They are of an ancient land. Of golden palaces framed by sandhills, underground temples, starry skies..."

"And you dressed in silk dresses, dancing for an audience of royalty?" at his words Lethy snapped her head to his direction, her gaze examining him as if he was an atom underneath the microscope. "How do you know that? I've never shared this information with anyone else before" she said, an almost accusatory tone accompanying her words. But Derek stood perfectly calm and unwavering before her like the strongest of trees that couldn't be disturbed by even the most powerful storms. He stood his ground, looked her dead in the eye and said with absolute seriousness in his voice: "Because I've seen these images too. _All_ of them" there was a suggestiveness in his last comment that only further confirmed Lethy's guesses and took them to a whole other level.

She couldn't believe her ears! So it was true! Her assumptions were correct and she weren't crazy! He was the man from her dreams, their visions were a common experience between them...Which meant that he could feel the connection she felt too! That their attraction and lust hadn't been misplaced nor was it something that simply fell upon their heads once their eyes first met. It meant that it was there all along, that it was a slowly burning fire whose still smoldering embers they've been feeding for the past couple...god knows how long without them even realizing it! But Alethea didn't feel any sort of regret or discomfort towards their current situation. If anything, she felt relieved, comforted and a lot more relaxed! As if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. What they felt wasn't a random infatuation nor some misguided paranoia. It was good, it was mutual, and all they had to do now was nurture it.

But what did this all mean? Some things still didn't make any sense...at least not to Alethea. Like how was it possible that they were experiencing the exact same dreams? How come their paths crossed in this particular way? What this just a bunch of random coincidences or was there something more to them? Were they a part of a much bigger plan which they still didn't know about? They simply would have to find out.

"Oi! Lethy! Hale!" Jonathan's shriek of a voice ended up being the trigger needed to release them from the trance they had found themselves captured in - only problem's that none of them really wanted to leave it! Before Jonathan broke the spell, they were left staring intently at each other, both frozen in time and place as each attempted to make some logic out of the whole situation individually before going back to bombarding the other with questions that probably didn't have the answers to. But that final part never came to be since they had a crew to catch up and a city to reach. They did share a final 'this isn't over' stare before going to join the rest of the team and realizing that they had managed to leave the jungle behind them and get into the clearing which looked over the city. They'd made it!

* * *

 **Phew! That was a good one! :D Oh man I'm so excited, I can't till I take you to the next amazing places with this story! Once again thank you all for reading and don't forget to drop a comment, constructive criticism and only is always welcome! Also don't forget to vote!**

 **P.S. Lethy's outfit as the dancing Hathor's priestess in the dream can be found down below!**

 **. /-Ovs57ZgWyPc/T00zy5JNk-I/AAAAAAAAonA/p3rg-6t0jh0/s800/Lynn%2BCollins%2BJohnCarter%**

 **That's all folks! Until next time... #Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess ;-)**


	10. Beautiful

Once at the city, the boys' job was to gather up the necessary supplies in order to replace the lost ones and find out a way of transport across the desert. In the meantime, the girls asked the ladies of the town for some assistance with getting rid of their still saggy and uncomfortable clothes. The local women didn't waste a second in sweeping them away and immediately focusing on the task at hand, since the girl's attire - especially Evie's, who was still in her undergarments and a coat which Rick had kindly placed upon her shoulders in order not to catch any cold - had managed to create quite a scandal in the eyes of the more sensitive women.

And so, their paths were separated. The men attending to their own duty and the women heading to the nearest tent for a bath and a clean set of clothes.

Lethy's mind was lost in space the entire time. She allowed the women to wash and scrub her entire body clean, to brush and style her hair and apply creams and scented oils upon her sun-burned, tired skin. The whole process took place, but Lethy didn't utter a word nor was she able to fully enjoy the treatment to its fullest. She was too busy thinking about the conversation she and Mr. Hale had earlier. She still couldn't believe that all this was happening! That after all this time of wondering whether she had started to lose her mind, she had finally figured out that she wasn't crazy at all. But her reality? Well that was a whole other story, because the events taking place were crazy to say the least! Not only had she met the literal man of her dreams but she had found out that he was having the exact same dreams as herself. Things like that simply didn't happen in real life! They were the stuffs of myths and legends...! And yet here she was now having a experience as such in real life! She simply couldn't wrap her mind around it! It was surreal, it was impossible, and yet it was happening! Somehow fantasy had turned into fact for Alethea and she didn't know what to make of it. What was she supposed to do now?

 _Simply accept it? Roll with the flow and see what happens?_ Well it didn't sound like such a bad idea now that she was thinking it through. It really seemed unnecessary and moronic to her to get frustrated over something way beyond her own control. She'd just have to lay back and see where this whole story goes.

One thing was for certain though. That her sentiments for Derek were correct, she was right to be feeling this way. For it looked like something or someone wanted them together - an invisible, higher force perhaps. She still had to talk to him about it though, about all of this. She wouldn't feel completely calm unless she knew they were both on the same page.

Lethy was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even get to complain when one of the older ladies brought her one of their traditional black dresses and veils to put on. The woman laid the clothes on a seat nearby and stepped out to give Lethy some privacy, before the latter could request for something different such a pair of trousers and a blouse or even something with a bit more color since she wasn't really a big fan of total blackness. She did opened her mouth, ready to call her back, but decided against it on the last minute since she didn't want to offend anyone with her own quirks and because she was certain that the other women wouldn't probably allow her to wander around in such a scandalous, for their own customs, attire. So she simply heaved a deep sigh and took the clothes in her hands. They were soft to the touch, the fabric elegant and of a really good quality, so she felt even more flattered by the fact that they had taken care of them in such a luxurious way even though they were but a bunch of outlander travelers. She truly appreciated their hospitality, generosity and kindness; she owed it to them that she swallowed her pride and respected their customs.

She dropped the delicate piece of cloth that the local women had wrapped around her after they'd finished giving her a bath and started putting on her new clothes. First came the black undergarment dress, then the dress and finally she enveloped herself in the veils, making sure to cover her head, hair and lower part of her face, leaving only her eyes uncovered. She looked herself in the mirror and noticed that, despite their color, the veils' fabric was very transparent so she wasn't going to walk around looking like a shadow. Truth be told, her outfit was extremely beautiful and she looked real good in it! She looked exotic, mysterious, all in all enticing and that gave her great pleasure! No wonder why the rest of the women looked like complete goddesses, even the older ones! The aura they transmitted was something really alluring, at least to Alethea's character.

Now with a smile adorning her face, she pulled back the curtain that separated her from the rest of the tent and stepped into the main space. "My dear late mother would be having a true festival right now if she saw me wearing a dress on a regular Tuesday without having to attend a wedding or a funeral" she said as she once again looked herself at one of the mirrors that were standing close by in the room. Her comment was meant attract Lily's attention, who was sitting fully dressed in her own black outfit of the same features and was waiting for the other two girls to get done, but said girl also seemed to have her head lost in some place elsewhere. She was sitting in a thinking position, legs crossed, chin placed upon the palm of her hand and her gaze was hazy and unfocused - Lethy noticed from the reflection on the mirror. _Now that's odd_ , she thought, her eyes squinting in intrigue as she approached her friend and nudged her gently on the shoulder.

Lily almost startled awake, her head falling off her hand and snapping at Lethy's direction. "I'm sorry what?" she said, still looking a bit dazed. Lethy smirked slightly and took a seat right next to her friend. "What's up with you, Lils? You seem to a be a bit...lost" Lethy observed.

"It's nothing, really" Lily tried to assure her friend but it was clear that Lethy wasn't convinced by it, she could hear it in her friend's voice and see it in her eyes that something was up and it was messing with her head big time! "Yeah right. Come on, spit it out. You know you can tell me anything that's going on inside that pretty head of yours! That's what best friends are for!" she said, giving her best gentle-hearted look to put the rest of her friend's worries at ease. Lily gave her a calculating stare, looking as if she were weighting the options in her head, and eventually nodded in agreement to her friend's persistent request. "Fine, I'll tell you" she said and a smile broke out across Lethy's face. "But!" the petite girl didn't hesitate to add with a stern movement of her hand that immediately made Lethy's face fall on the ground. "Only if you tell me what's going on between you and Mr. Sourface McGrumpiness out there". _And there it is!_ Lethy thought a bit begrudgingly but she quickly discarded any bitterness for Lily was right to be having that kind of demands from her. After all, she had agreed to tell her all about Derek sooner or later. _And sooner has got to be better than later, right?_ Perhaps Lily could help with shinning some light on her strange predicament. So Lethy swallowed her pride, let out a heavy sigh and nodded in condescendingly too. "Alright, I owe you that much" she said. "But you have to go first because I asked you first!"

Lily remained silent for a moment, her cheeks shinning as a light shade of crimson decorated them. _Oh this is gonna be interesting_ , Lethy thought. "Last night, right before all hell broke loose, Stiles and I were sitting by the deck's side on the upper floor. And we were talking..."

"About?"

"You know what" Lily admitted a little half-heartedly, her cheeks blooming red once again and her face dropping in a shy and embarrassed frown. "So you finally confessed to each other what I, the rest of the world, their mothers and their favorite saints have known all along?" said Lethy. "You could say that" Lily murmured shyly once again.

"Then that's the greatest news I've ever heard!" Lethy exclaimed, sounding genuinely ecstatic.

"You truly mean that?" Lily inquired, a little insecure.

"Of course!" Lethy assured her, still beaming with joy. "You guys are my best friends in the whole world and I've spent the past couple of years figuring out that you'll never find anyone better to be your significant other than each other. You two are good for each other! You match in more ways than one. Your chemistry, your personalities...I'd say you are a match made in heaven but I don't think that even heaven could pull off something as good as this" said Lethy, meaning every word. Lily finally smiled, some of her friend's words having visibly fixed her broken mood. "Thank you for saying that" said the shorter young woman.

"But of course!" said Lethy but then her eyes squinted in confusion. "Wait a second. If you finally confessed your feelings to each other, then why do you look so down?"

"Because we never got to finish our talk" Lily elaborated. "We were talking about our friendship, our futures, how we make such a great team and how we work well in so many ways...Stiles was about to tell me something, I could feel it pulsing at the end of his tongue that he wanted to tell me that he cared for me the same way I did for him but then..."

"All hell broke loose" Lethy finished for her friend. "Well crap, that's a tough one, Lils. Now I get why you're in such a bad mood"

"What if he didn't want to tell me what I thought he was? What if we're not on the same page at all? All these questions have been nagging at me all night long and I just want them gone and out of my head...But we still haven't got the chance to sit down and talk about what took place at the ship" the girl admitted, her face a mask of eternal frustration as she once again drowned in her own thoughts. Lethy gave her friend a warm yet sad look and laid a hand upon her shoulder in the only way that Alethea knew how to comfort people. "Then there's only one solution. Next time you see him, you make him talk about it whether he wants to or not. You'll feel much better when you've let all this out of your chest...AND SEE ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT THERE'S NOTHING YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT!" Lethy used her most intense and no-nonsenses voice to deliver that statement, something which always made her friend smile a genuine smile. "You good now?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the talk, girl"

"My pleasure"

"But don't think that you're off the hook! I did my bean spilling, now it's your turn!" the little firecracker demanded for her payment. Now it was Alethea's turn to turn bashful and groan in frustration but she quickly got over it. She too needed to get some things out of her chest and now was the time. So she let it all out. _ALL OF IT!_ About the dreams, the attraction she's been sharing with Derek since the moment they met, the deep conversations they had from time to time, the night he taught her how to shoot...All of it, truly. As it'd be expected, Lily was left dumbstruck by the whole revelation, her jaw hanging open like a dead fish's, her eyes being twice their original size and her entire body having gone into a catatonic state. "You okay there, kido?" asks Lethy while waving a hand in front of her friend's face, causing her to snap out of her trance like a startled and lost little puppy. "Wow" is the only thing that manages to come out of Lily's mouth.

"That's all you have to say? Wow?"

"I really don't think that there's anything else that could be said right now" says Lily, still a little shaken up. "Lethy, you just told me that you and this guy are some sort of star-matched, destined soulmates or something!"

"I wouldn't exactly call us soulmates..."

"Oh come on! You've been having erotic dreams about a guy that you've never met before. But then, one day, you just happen to stumble upon him in the most convenient of ways and the first thing he does once he sees you is kiss you stupid and get you hook on his mysterious, tall-dark-and-handsome-ness! If that ain't soulmates then I'm an Amazonian iguana!" Lily rants. Despite the comical quality of these statements, Lethy can't help but blush and look down in embarrassment and awkwardness as the true weight and reality of her words hit home with her, forcing her to contemplate things that it's still too soon to be thinking off - which are too powerful and terrifying for her to face just yet, while her heart is still unready.

Lily notices the change in her friend's mood and that immediately causes her own to shift as well. "But that's merely my opinion. What's important is what _you_ believe. What is your heart telling you about this man? Do you think there's something there?" says the wise young woman in a soft voice, nudging her friend to wander into territories that she's been avoiding till now. _But it's better to dive head first than live in denial and fear for all eternity._ So she did what Lily advised her and searched into her heart. She looked past the physical attraction, looked beyond the intrigue of their shared dream predicament. She weighed every moment and emotion they'd shared together in these past couple of days, every experience and its aftertaste... And, in the end, right there in the shallow depths of her soul, she found something purer and far more real than anything else. She found two people who worked well as a team, who had similar psyches, who held a sense of admiration and respect towards each other. She found a beautiful smile she adored seeing, a pair of green eyes that could see right through her in so many ways that made her feel both vulnerable and protected at the same time. She found someone with whom she always felt comfortable and confident to be herself full force, whose company always made her feel at ease and well; someone who never judged her odd ways like most people did, who wanted to do right by her. All these thoughts, and the realization behind them, caused a smile to break out across Lethy's face.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'" says Lily with a soft smile of her own now adorning her thin rosy lips. "So? Is he a good guy?"

"Yeah. I'm starting to believe that he really is. And who knows? Maybe he'll turn out being the best I've ever met" says Lethy with a dreamy look on her face.

"I'm really glad that you're feeling this way" says Lily, smiling kindly. "Same goes for you, sweetie" Lethy responds to her smile with a similar one of her own and the two friends embrace in a brief moment of bliss.

"What's going on out here?" the voice of Evelyn, enveloped in that honey-like British accent of hers, got them out of their little bubble and caused both girls to turn around and face the older female. Lethy was immediately awe-struck by her sister's captivating beauty in her new attire. The outfit made her look like some mysterious exotic goddess from another time, whilst the makeup do and black eyeliner the local women had applied on her face did a pretty good job highlighting her most gorgeous features, especially her eyes which looked extremely enticing and magnetic right now. Lethy was certain that if O'Connell were to see her right now, he'd have a heart attack right on the spot! She couldn't wait seeing the expression on his face when she'd walk out.

"Just sorting out some guy issues" says Lily.

"Something which is not very unfamiliar to you, pretty lady" says Lethy with a teasing smirk, causing her sister to roll her eyes but blush nonetheless. "How's it going with O'Connell by the way?"

"He is still a scoundrel, don't get your hopes very up. But I have to admit that he's started to grow on me" she admitted.

"Something's telling me that you wouldn't like him any other way" said Lethy.

"Who knows? Maybe you are right, little sister" said Evelyn, giving her a mischievous wink before adjusting her veil and walking out of the tent. Both boys were left speechless, that was the first time Evelyn had shown this much emotion to them. For heaven's sake she was being sassy too! Had they missed something major? It would appear so! Nonetheless they simply chuckled, put on their own veils and followed Evelyn outside, underneath the steamy sun.

* * *

On the market, Derek is on a mission. He lets the others worry about purchasing food and means of transportation, while he is busy roaming the busy street and checking out every merchant's booth for two very specific objects that interest him. When he eventually finds them, he can't believe his luck! There, on the booth of a busy local merchant, two fine daggers identical to the ones Alethea lost during the fight on the ship are casually exhibited. Derek isn't much of an expert on the subject of blade weaponry, which is why he allows his hyper senses to guide him. By picking them up, weighting them on his hands and examining them with his sharp eyes, he can tell that they're made of real quality steel, which means that they don't break easily, while also remaining light and easy to work with. He understands that they are excellent weapons, worthy of a true warrior like Alethea Carnahan. The image of her moving swiftly and gracefully to the rhythm of the battle song, swaying these particular blades in her hands that he will have gifted, her form resembling a goddess of war wreaking havoc and mayhem upon the battlefield, he feels a surge of pride and joy overwhelming him. She will make an admirable sight for sure, her strength a radiant warmth that he wishes will inspire him to be strong as well for he has to be if he wants to stand by an amazon like herself.

"How much for these two?" he asks the man behind the counter in his native language, his voice monotone and emotionless as it's usually the case whenever he is interacting with another human being that is not his best friend or the woman plaguing his mind. "Five hundred dinars" the man replies and Derek's face sours. Five hundred dinars means fifty American dollars. They are rather expensive. Which can be a good sign if it's also an indication for their good quality...or it can simply mean that the man wants to screw him over. But Derek hates bargaining so he will have to bite back his discomfort and pay the man. He likes to avoid confrontations like that because. A, because he knows how greedy these merchants can get and a bargaining opponent can easily force him to raise the price way over his budget, resulting in him losing the daggers altogether. And, B, because he is a man with a very short temper and very little amount of patience as far as human assholery is concerned, so there's a big chance he'll rip the man's throat with his own teeth if he starts getting on his nerves - and he doesn't want to get arrested again, his intuition tells him that his girl can save him from being hanged only once in her lifetime. So he lets an exaggerated sigh, frowns deeply and reaches into his pocket to take out the money needed to make the payment. But before he can give them to the merchant, a very familiar hand grips his wrist, steadying him mid-air and stops him altogether. "Allow me" says Rick before reaching into his own pocket and taking out the fifty bucks. After snatching the money out of Rick's hand, the merchant smiles a _somewhat_ kind smile and wishes them good day. Derek takes the blades and carefully hides them inside his jacket, the coolness of the steel against his heart providing some sort of comfort from all the exhausting hotness that surrounds them like a straitjacket.

"Why the hell did you do that?" says Derek as the two step away from the counter and start looking for the Stilinski kid, that Jonathan dude and the little weasel of a warrant that has stuck around like a bad rash. Rick looks to the side in a casual way as if he's looking for something, hiding half of his face from Derek's view - a very common thing for him, he usually does that when he doesn't want to let out any particular emotion. "In the spirit of me trying to apologize for being a jerk to you earlier, I decided to help you out in your little effort of wooing your lady" he says, his voice full of sarcasm and jesting. Yeah, he can play snarky all he wants but the head turning shows Derek that he's just a stupid little shit who feels guilty for his behavior and is now trying to act like a good friend. "Woo? How old are you? Eighty-five?" the green-eyed man says, causing his friend to laugh. "Thank you, anyway. I appreciate it" he adds in a calmer tone, his way of showing his friend that it's all cool between them.

"No problem, brother" says Rick and the two exchange the slightest ghost of a smile.

"Oh for fuck's sake" Rick groans out in frustration and starts walking faster straight ahead. Derek squints his eyes in confusion but when he looks forward he sees what his friend was referring to: the Carnahan male arguing with a camel trader over the cost of six camels. The sight is quite amusing, which is exactly why he finds himself snickering at the moment, but as he takes a closer look at their destined mean of transportation his face takes up a disgust grimace. These camels are very old, ugly and probably haven't had a proper wash in a really long time. He really doesn't fancy riding one of those hideous beasts across the deserts but beggars can't be choosers at this point. He shakes his head with a scoff and heads towards the other party of fellows. "Just pay the man!" Rick yells at Jonathan and only does the skinny little wise-cracker keens. He gives up his fight with the trader and rather begrudgingly sticks his hand into his pocket in order to take out the money he owes him. "I can't believe the price of these fleabags" Jonathan complains as they move away from the trader's post.

"You know, we could have had them for free. All we had to do was give him one of your sisters" says Rick and the thought alone causes Derek to growl in disgust. "Awfully tempting, right boys?" says Jonathan sarcastically and the two men shake their heads in aggravation. But then, as if on cue, their gazes land upon three of the most beautiful creatures in existence coming out of a trading tent. Alethea, Evelyn and Lily head towards them, all of them now dressed in gorgeous, black, tightly fitted, Bedouin dresses, with their hair and half of their faces being mostly covered by transparent veils.

And just like that, Rick and Derek are left stupefied and awe-struck, frozen in place like statues with their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide open like idiots.

All of the girls look exquisite in their new outfits but Derek only has eyes for the majestic beauty in the middle of the group. The one with the charcoal colored eyes that seem to sparkle with mischief and are enticing him to fall on his knees and worship her like a goddess. The dress molds her curves perfectly, giving him a teasing idea of the glory that lies underneath the surface and yet leaving most of the details to his eager imagination and his hungry mind that can't wait unraveling the gift. The color suits her bronze complexion perfectly whilst also giving her an air of mystic that he finds extremely appealing. All in all, she's a vision! Literally stealing the breath from his lungs and the beats of his heart away. If he didn't know it already, now he is absolutely certain that he is a goner for this girl!

"Yeah, awfully" Derek hears Rick mumbling from somewhere next to him, his own eyes glued to the fair form of miss Evelyn Carnahan. Her dark eyes that look so much like her sister's are glimmering and Derek notices a smile decorating the lovely woman's face through the veil. "Need some help wooing your lady?" he teases, nudging Rick's side playfully and the latter nudges back a bit aggressively in annoyance. "Fuck you old man" his best friend growls at him and Derek can't help snickering like the sadistic bastard he is.

"Hey guys!" the kid - Stiles - suddenly pops up in Derek's peripheral vision, holding an apple in one of his hands and taking a bite out of it, completely oblivious to the sight going on behind him. "What are you two looking at?" he asks through a mouthful of apple. Derek doesn't talk, he simply grabs Stiles by the shoulders and slowly turns him around to see for himself. The minute his eyes fall on the three forms before him, his eyes grow wide their original size and his jaw drops on the floor along with the remains of the fruit he was holding both in his mouth and in his hand. "Woah!" is the only sound that comes out of the younger boy's mouth. _Amen to that brother_ , thinks Derek to himself, a smirk creeping its way across his lips.

* * *

Seeing the boys lose their shit over them proves to be quite the amusing sight for the girls of the group. Lethy shoots Lily a playful wink, but soon her cockiness simply vanishes in thin air when none other than Derek Hale appears before her, blocking her path and stunning her with his penetrating, smoldering gaze. She had stolen his breath away and now Lethy feels her own abandoning her as his striking pale green eyes piece her soul. She guesses that her sister and best friend are off to meet their own suitors as she stays locked in place, held hostage this man's captivating presence. His form looms over her, his eyes hungrily taking her in, his gaze so intense and heating that she almost feels it like a caress upon her skin. She is covered by four different layers of fabric and yet underneath Derek Hale's gaze she feels completely naked; it should be an intrusive sense but instead it's something utterly exciting and arousing. The effect this man has on her is intoxicating to say the least.

"You look" he begins to speak but has to pause and gulp back the lump in his throat, fight off the tension that seems to have taken over his body "beautiful" he finishes in that deep, masculine, husky voice of his that causes shivers to run down Lethy's spine. Thrilling, delicious shivers that she has grown accustomed to and now finds herself craving for. "Thank you" she says, trying to hide the breathless-ness of her voice with a bright smile.

"I got you something" he says gruffly before reaching into his jacket. Lethy feels her breath sticking to her throat, nothing but a loud gasp escaping her lips, a hand coming up to cover the rosy pair as a set of twin daggers that look exactly like the ones she lost in every aspect is being revealed before her shocked eyes. "I thought that you could find a better use for them than simply lying around on a merchant's booth" he says as her hands timidly wrap around their sturdy handle. They feel good in her hand, familiar to the touch. They are of good material and they are light as a feather. She practices a few swings right there on the spot and notices that they are also a swift and practical weapon. They are perfect for them. "Thank you" she says, her voice full of emotion. She lifts her gaze and sees him smiling lightly at her and even though it's not a very revealing expression his eyes tell the entire story for Lethy to see. He's happy to have made her happy, he's proud of having accomplished such a thing, and he's admiring her in her element. And just like that, she feels her heart flying away from her reach and settling into the protective hold of his big, strong hands. Little by little, she's falling deeper and deeper in love with his man - this amazing, wonderful man...

"We need to talk" she says, reality having suddenly dawned on her. "We need to talk about... _the dreams_ " she says with a slight stammer in her voice. His expression grows solemn then. "What is there to talk about them, princess?" he says plainly as they start walking along with the rest of their group. "What do you think they mean?" she says.

"I have no freaking clue" he replies dryly yet sincerely.

"It honestly feels like magic! Like something out of a kid's book. I mean, we start having these dreams about each other and then we end up meeting face to face...It's absolutely ludicrous! I can't seem to be able to wrap my mind around it. But it simply cannot be...Magic isn't real, right?" she rambles.

"No. Of course not" Derek replies but there is a strain in his voice and his jaw clenches. Lethy doesn't know what to make of this reaction so she simply goes on. "Do you think they play some sort of significant part?" she asks.

"In what?"

"In...the way we feel about each other..."

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there, princess, cuz I know pretty damn well where this is going and I really don't want your mind to go this direction" he says sternly, getting in her way and stopping her in her tracks. His words are dubious and Lethy doesn't know what to think, but before she can get disheartened he continues to speak. "I have no freaking clue what these damn dreams mean. They just _happened_ to me as well as you and to be completely frank with you I don't believe in magic or destiny or any of that bullshit" her face drops, her lips drooping in a frown...but then he picks her chin up with the crook of his index finger and forces her to look him in the eye as he finishes his statement. "But I know one thing. That I don't need someone else to tell me how to feel. That even if these dreams weren't in the picture, I still wouldn't need them to feel the way I do about you now. I wouldn't need them to be attracted to you, to have fun with you, to feel comfortable and happy with you. Yes, they helped a great deal, but you are the one that has made me desire you, who has made me like you. Who has made me wanna be with you?"

"You do?" she asks in a surprised tone, her eyes shinning hopeful and her heart fluttering like the wings of a million butterflies. "Yeah, I do" he says with a light smile adorning his lips, his eyes serene and his heart a steady beat. "What about you, princess?". Lethy doesn't speak. Instead, she raises herself on her tiptoes and places a firm kiss upon his lips. It's a simple gesture and yet it's enough to cause sparks to tingle her skin deliciously. "Does that answer your question?" she says breathlessly, smirking teasingly. He chuckles at her cheekiness and replies: "Yeah, I think it does the trick" before reconnecting their lips in a more languid kiss that quenches both of their thirst for connection.

They probably would have kept kissing forever if Jonathan's voice hadn't interrupted their moment once again. "I swear to God if he weren't your brother I would have killed him by now" says Derek with a groan of frustration, his eyebrows frowned in annoyance. "Don't worry about it, handsome" she says and pecks his lips one final time. "We'll have plenty of time for that later" and with those words she has tamed the beast and the two keep on walking to join the rest of their team ahead of them, Derek's arm firmly wrapped around her waist and her heart soaring like a bird who has just discovered the miracle of flying.


	11. The Lovers of Two Centuries

**Okay guys! Time to get down to business! And when I say business I mean _BUSINESS_! Like...I kid you not this chapter dives head first into the adult content and kicks everything off with a big loud bang - literally! XD XD Okay enough dreadful puns, time to put something on the page that actually represents me as an author LOL! XD XD**

 **Once again I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to either vote, comment or simply peruse the story a bit, your support means the world to me!**

 **Before we get started I'd like to put a warning out there for smut, sexy dreams and mutual masturbation in case there are still some readers out there who find these things uncomfortable and/or offensive. So, if you don't like this kind of stuff, feel free to move past them. But if you're here for the smoldering, mushy, smutty goodness like me then simply lay back and enjoy the ride - no pun intended ;-) ;-) - for it's gonna be a hella great time of smut! Because if I were to leave our poor baby Derek suffering another torturous case of blue balls, my best friend would kill me! XD XD So, Cleo, you amazing, beautiful, adorable little bullying unicorn! This is for you! Consider this your gift for our name day. ;-)**

* * *

 _That night, Lethy dreamt of the ancient kingdom again. But instead of golden throne rooms and underground temples, she found herself on a grand balcony that overlooked the entire expanse of the palace's grounds, the beautiful gardens and the marvel of the desert that seemed to go on endlessly. Her gaze was pointed at the sky, admiring the fair sight of the crescent moon and the sparkling lights that framed it like diamonds upon a blanket of soft deep black-blue fabric. It was a quiet night, only the gentle whisper of the wind could be heard disrupting the nonetheless perfect serenity of the moment. And Alethea had never felt so at ease, so calm and content in her entire life. In that moment she was the happiest soul in existence. A bird soaring through the skies even though she had both feet steady upon the ground. A serene sea on a warm summer evening. She was whole, she was complete. And the reason behind her joy? But, of course, love! This wonderful, miraculous, magical sentiment that has taken over every single fiber of her being, every beat of heart. It captivates her, envelops her like the warm embrace she loves visiting every night, and utterly intoxicates her. It's a sweet high, a fair euphoria, a sense of delusion and constant merriness amongst the limits of common reason. It's the greatest gift she's ever been given and she owes it all to_ him _. The man who loves her and she loves in return._

 _A soft breeze blew through the delicate cloth of her sheer-through gown, kissing her skin and spiking her senses, causing a trail of shivers to run down her spine. But soon the chilliness is replaced by the most intense and intimate of warmths as she feels a pair of strong arms encircling her smaller figure - one wrapping around her waist and the other around her shoulders - and pulling her flush against a hard surface. Alethea's bare back comes in contact with warm skin, feeling every single hard ridge, plane, muscle and ripple of her lover's naked torso as he leans against her body. The young woman lets out a sigh of contentment and hedonism at the delicious sparks that simple contact ignites within her very core and soul._

 _"You are so cold, my love" a soft, husky whisper caresses the skin of her ear, causing her to shudder for a whole other reason this time. "Not anymore. I'm never cold when your arms are around me" she says truthfully, an expression of total bliss covering her face as her hands move to cover his own that are now leaving heated brands against her exposed flesh. "It would be easier to accomplish my duty of keeping my woman warm if she simply stayed in bed with me" he says teasingly and Alethea can feel the smirk covering his lips as they brush lightly against her shoulder, the fleeting contact being enough to ignite the lust and want within her. She lets out another trembling sigh, her heart speeding up its rhythm and her skin breaking out in goosebumps as the dream version of Derek presses a firm kiss against her shoulder. "I'm sorry, my heart. Believe that it hurts me too when I have to leave your embrace. But I had to answer the goddess' call" she says in a breathless voice, offering a brief glance to the stars above. She was telling the truth though; what had brought her out of bed - and out of her mate's embrace - in the first place was her inner need to thank the goddess in person for all of her good fortune and happiness. So she had come to the balcony while her future husband was sleeping peacefully - or at least, so she thought - and had trained her eyes and thoughts to the sky, where the gods are said to reside in their wonderful world of the afterlife, praising Hathor and thanking her with her full heart for all that she had offered her in the time that she'd been a priestess for the goddess._

 _Soon Alethea's eyes fluttered shut once again due to the electric bolt of pleasure striking her body at the feeling of Derek's erect manhood pressing against her behind, accompanied by his lips against her skin and his hands now roaming her body slowly, sensually. He was still very much naked from their previous coupling so she was able to feel_ everything _._

 _"You had your time with the goddess. And now it's my turn to thank her for giving me such a precious gift. For allowing me to love and be loved by the most glorious woman in all of Egypt" he says in a low, husky, enticing tone that only adds to the acceleration of her heartbeats. "And how do you plan to do that?" she asks in a half-moan._

 _"By worshiping my future wife of course" he says in a playful tone. He then proceeds to pepper demanding yet teasing kisses across the expanse of her collarbone, her throat, her chin, the back of her ear, until she has no other choice left but to become a quivering, moaning mess and melt away like candle wax under the sun by the heat of his embrace. "Does this mean that you are ready to return to bed with me, my love?" he asks huskily. His voice is a low rumble deep in his chest that vibrates through both of their naked skins and eventually lands on Alethea's lower abdomen like a waterfall of lust cascading down a cliff's side. "Yes" she lets out in a breathless moan full of wanton need that only he can appease. "Please take me inside, my heart"_

 _"My mate's wish is my command" he whispers playfully before wrapping one arm around her waist, one around her ankles and lifting her up in the very characteristic - and appropriate, considering their case - way that a groom usually embraces his bride. Alethea lets out a gasp of surprise but then smiles contently as her gaze falls upon his fair features._ 'He's just so handsome' _she thinks and, even though she's not exactly sure exactly which one of her selves is talking at the moment, she knows that they can both agree on the statement. Every single detail of his countenance is perfection in her eyes. The way his soft raven black locks frame his stunning chiseled face - his hair are way longer than normal once again, but Lethy doesn't mind; if anything she has to admit that she finds them rather attractive. The way the shadows fall upon his form, high-lightening the sharpness of his cheekbones, the intensity of his jaw, the sculpting in every angle, edge and feature of his face. The sweet, genuine smile that is decorating his lovely, full, kissable lips. A smile that makes his piercing green eyes shine brighter than all the stars in the sky and Alethea's heart warm up like the sands of Sahara under the first rays of the morning sun._

 _She allows herself a moment to admire and take all of his glory in, before cupping the back of his head with one hand and colliding her lips with his in a searing kiss. It acts as punishment for all the teasing and desperation he inflicted on her, but it is a punishment that he is more than happy to suffer for it's also the most delicious of all. Their lips move together in perfect sync, their tongues meet and engage in a passionate, carnal dance while their breaths mingle and their hearts beat as one. Alethea loses herself in the kiss, melts away and allows herself to be consumed by it - its intensity, its ferocity._

 _Alethea can feel herself being carried away, but at the moment she feels as if she's floating, swimming in a cloud of lust and euphoria. Derek lowers her upon their soft, warm bed, her head resting now atop a pile of silky pillows and the sheets rustling under both of their weight. He doesn't break the kiss once as he climbs on top of his betrothed, straddling her and placing both hands on her sides, and she doesn't give him the chance to do so as she's wrapped her arms around his neck and is now pulling him impossibly close. Derek kisses the side of her mouth and then moves to her chin, starting to plant kisses lower and lower, mouthing, sucking, biting and trailing his tongue across the most sensitive areas of her skin. Lethy realizes that that's her cue to release him and instead moves her hands to grab on to his hair as he's peppering kisses across her delicate throat. The young woman is lost in pleasure, a loud moan escaping her lips as her expert lover places a particularly rough kiss on a rather erogenous zone right where her neck and shoulder meet._

 _As his lips trail even lower so do the straps of her nightgown. Derek gently pulls down the soft fabric, revealing her breasts to his hungry gaze. "You are so beautiful" he whispers huskily as he starts laying open-mouthed kisses across her shoulder, her collarbone, the valley between her breasts. Every single part of his mouth - his lips, his teeth, his tongue - works for the sole purpose of igniting Alethea's senses, of stimulating, exciting and awakening until all the young woman can feel is bliss. Alethea allows a loud, drawn-out moan to escape her throat's grasp as Derek's plump lips engulf one of her breasts, sucking it vigorously into his mouth. His masterful tongue tickles her nipple, teasing her into full hardness, while his teeth graze the sensitive surface, only enhancing her pleasure by adding the occasional spike of vexing pain. It's the same kind of kiss he used to devour her lips earlier and it's just as arousing - if not even more - now. To the point where the pleasure is so overwhelming she can't keep her eyes open and the grip in his hair tightens as she tries to keep him in place and force him to give her more - not that he's complaining of course. In the meantime, Derek's expert fingers play and fondle with the breast that's left unattended, pinching and rolling her nipple between his rough-patted fingers until it's hard and standing on attention for him, so full of pleasure as well that the senses of her body don't know where to focus on first!_

 _Once both of her soft mounds have received the attention needed to bring Alethea to her breaking point - making her nice, wet and impatient for her mate to take her already - Derek resumes his descent. He places languid open-mouthed kisses across the fit expanse of her flat stomach, removing her gown as he goes until she is left bared and exposed to his ravishing gaze and roaming fingers, completely at the mercy of his ministrations. "So exquisite" he breathes huskily, an awe-struck expression covering his handsome face as he stares down at the naked glory of his woman, whose beauty never ceases to take his breath away and stop his heart from beating. The look of pure love and adoration shinning in his eyes moves her to no end, causing tears of joy to gather in her eyes and her heart to flutter before melting away. No one has ever looked at her that way - neither in this fantasy life of hers nor in her real one. He is looking at her as if she's the only reason he has for living and breathing; as if she's all that matters in the world. It's so intense, so powerful, so raw, real and beautiful that Alethea can feel tears stinging her still sleeping real-life eyes as well._

 _His position - standing on his knees on top of her - allows Lethy to admire him as well and she is determined to drink up every single little marvelous detail. Her eyes roam his body, devouring him like she's starving to have his image imprinted in her mind forever. Everything about him is rock-hard, perfectly sculpted, ripped and muscle-y as if Michaelangelo himself carved him out of the same marble he used to create David. His broad shoulders, the wide planes of his chest and the absolutely ripped expanse of his six - or is it eight? - abdominal muscles that she's itching to mark with her fingernails. His bulging biceps who feel so wonderful when they hold her oh so tightly, the strong muscles of his thighs and of course his very erect, very thick and large manhood whose mere sight was enough to make her mouth water and the sheets underneath her to dampen. She remembers the feeling of it inside her from previous dreams, how full and wholesome she felt when they were joined in the most intimate way, the heights of hedony she reached when he was moving inside her, penetrating her, ravaging her. It was the most marvelous feeling and just the thought of experiencing it again caused her core to clench and a moan to escape her lips - only this time it was of her real self._

 _Now fully naked before her mate, Alethea spreads her legs widely, exposing herself completely, a wicked, inviting spark glimmering in her dark charcoal eyes and Derek growls in response at the sight before him. He runs his hands affectionately over her thighs, his rough palms a stark contrast to her smooth velvety skin, creating a delicious kind of friction. "So endearing, so lovely" he whispers almost to himself before bowing his head - a man worshiping his goddess of lust - and licking a bold stripe up her sacred woman mound. The action causes a bolt of electricity to go through every nerve ending in Alethea's body and her breath to come out in a shaky, panting, gasp. "So indescribably sweet" he says with a cheeky smirk now decorating his beautiful face and Lethy chuckles breathlessly at the comment. "You have no idea how much I love you" he says absentmindedly but with a serious, solemn tone that solidifies his words and sinks them deep into Alethea's heart. "I love you too" she says back in a pant as his expert fingers play with her lower lips, opening her up to him and allowing him to admire her treasure without any barriers in between. "I can't wait to make you my wife" he finally declares before ducking down once again and placing an open-mouthed, thorough kiss to her womanhood._

 _Lethy's eyes roll to the back of her head as electricity goes through her whole body and pleasure shakes her to the very core. Her hips buck up against his mouth as his lips entrap the little pearl of nerves hidden between her lips. His large, rough hands are firmly placed on each of her thighs, keeping her legs spread wide open, as his tongue penetrates her in the same wicked yet delicious way that his cock will soon do, reaching new hot spots of pleasure within her that were expecting him to discover. His teeth graze her lower lips in just the right way to enhance her excitement and arousal. The combination of all the different sensations is enough to overwhelm the poor girl and bring her close to the edge all too soon until she eventually reaches her peak with a loud cry that bounces off the walls. White flashes in her field of vision, bright sparks blinding her eyes and numbing her mind to anything but the sweetest feel of bliss. Derek doesn't let her down easily; instead, he continues to feast on her like a starving man, drinking up the essence of her body as if it's the nectar served upon the top of mount Olympus, as the Greeks often claim. "Always so responsive to my touch" he whispers huskily, tracing a finger over her very sensitive bundle of pleasure, causing her to moan out quietly and to slightly buck up as a reflex._

 _"Please, my heart" she whimpers desperately. "Please, make love to me. I need you, my body can't take the waiting any longer". At her words, a wicked smirk graces her mate's fair features, his pale green eyes glimmering in sinful mischief, and she knows that her prayers are about to be answered. "With great pleasure" he says in a deep, enticing tone that manages to electrify her body with the force of an actual lighting bolt._

 _Alethea's eyes are closed, her breath shallow and her body boneless as Derek began laying kisses across the expanse of it, moving upwards, his beard scratching her delicate skin and leaving little burn marks behind. When she eventually opens her eyes, she's greeted by the wondrous sight of his pale green orbs staring longingly at her, right before his lips claim her own in a searing kiss. This time, his kiss has a sweeter, thicker taste to it, which she quickly realizes is due to the fact that she can taste herself on his tongue - something that causes her to grow hot and wet with arousal once again._

 _Derek settles between her still widely spread open legs, his manhood poking earnestly at her entrance, the friction between their bodies causing her body temperature to reach new great heights. His lips never left her own, one of his hands moving up to caress her hair, his fingers entangling themselves in her velvety soft raven locks and tugging lightly, just enough to evoke pleasure, whilst the other supports her hip. He enters her slowly, languidly, making sure that she feels everything. Every moment, every sensation going through her body, every ridge of his cock as it rubs against her sensitive inner walls, every nerve ending being hit and every erogenous zone being explored. They both moan loudly and wantonly at the connection and the new sensations that it evoked, wishing that this moment could simply last forever - this beautiful, pure, utterly soul-consuming and fulfilling moment during which a man and a woman come together, becoming one in every sense of its meaning._

 _Lethy can't recall ever feeling so full, so complete, so utterly content in her entire life. She can't help thinking that this is how true pleasure feels like - this is how true_ love _feels like. When Derek starts to move, stars dance behind her eyelids, fire burns in her loins and heaven seems all too close to reach. Thrust after powerful thrust, she feels herself rising higher and higher, chasing after that earth-shattering climax that she can only experience when in her mate's arms. Her slender legs are wrapped around his waist, urging him to go deeper until he's hitting nothing but the sweet spot of pleasure that's buried within her body, while his lips are alternating between placing fevered kisses on her mouth, her neck and her breasts. His hot breath caresses her skin, the erotic sound of his groans against her ear only encouraging her own sounds of pleasure to erupt and echo louder. Alethea's hands roam his gorgeous body, finding great joy in memorizing every divine inch, while also looking for something to hold on to as he begins to quicken his pace, now loving her even harder, faster and rougher than before - helping her reach her release a lot quicker. She grasps at his bulging biceps, claws at his shoulders, marking them with little crescents - how fitting, the perfect way to show the world that this beast, this wolf, belongs to her and only her - before also marring the expanse of his perfectly muscled back with her nails. Derek growls in pain-pleasure, his back arching and his gaze turning a dangerous dark shade that borders on animalistic when he stares down at his mate once more. But the hunger within his eyes only fuels Alethea's desire furthermore._

 _The harder he loves her, the closer she gets to her climax, the white light being only a few inches away, so close that she can touch it, the taste of euphoria dancing on the edge of her tongue...And that's when Derek decides to flip them over, when he knows that she's at the brink and ready to combust. Alethea finds herself on top of Derek, straddling his hips, his cock still buried deep inside her. Even deeper than before, if that were possible. And apparently it is for she finds herself practically impaled on the engorged sword of muscle and pure might. The new position allows Derek to hit new places of hedony inside of her and causes Alethea's eyes to roll to the back of her head as she tosses her head back and cries out in wanton pleasure. "Dance for me, my beautiful mate" Derek's husky, dominating voice commands her, causing a new wave of shivers to wash over her. "Ride me until you reach your peak and spill your desire all over me". She can't help obeying him. She starts rocking her hips back and forth, building a rhythm, grinding against his pelvis, the friction causing the both of them to go mad, before bouncing up and down his cock. Her movements almost resemble some sort of ancient erotic, carnal dance that mortal lovers like themselves would perform to appease the gods of pleasure above._

 _Derek starts moving his hips as well, lifting his pelvis and meeting her thrust for thrust, impaling her on his cock again and again, not letting her go a single second without feeling him hitting deep, without feeling sweet bliss overflowing her system. His hands roam her body hungrily as her nails scratch down his abdominals, marking him, causing him to growl in pleasure-pain and arch his back once again. Their gazes are locked together by an invincible force, black obsidian versus sparkling emeralds, not once breaking eye-contact, not even when pleasure was too much for either one to handle. And that's when she notices it; the literal glimmer in his eyes, the beautiful azure sparkle that suddenly appears within his irises and paints them in their true shade. His eyes flash their beautiful sparkling azure and Alethea finds herself enchanted by the miracle before her, the majestic rise of his inner self which she has grown to love as much as his mundane one. She knows what this means. The beast is taking over, it wants to claim his mate - it wants to claim_ her _\- and Derek's control is close to breaking._

 _True to her assumption, Derek lifts himself up until their bodies are flushed against each other once more and grips her tightly as if he never wants to let her go. She lets out a loud gasp, throwing her arms around his shoulders and tries to support herself, now being completely entranced by his hypnotic gaze, an eternal captive to the primal instinct that connects them. Derek brings his lips to her neck and starts mouthing up and down the delicate juncture, his tongue coming out to taste the delicate skin that pulses fervently with every shallow breath that escapes her lips._

 _With both of their climaxes approaching, Alethea does what's necessary to finish it and send both of them spiraling out of control in the vortex of ecstasy. And so she bares her throat to her ravenous mate, causing Derek to let out an animalistic groan of satisfaction before digging his teeth into her flesh, biting hard. The sensation is so strong, so erotic, so soul-consuming that manages to throw Alethea over the edge, the young girl screwing her eyes shut and letting out a loud scream of ecstasy as she fulfills her mate's wish and spills her desire all over him._

* * *

 _God fucking help me!_ is all Derek can and has been thinking about for the past hour or so as he's been relentlessly tormented by whatever deity is up there right now, watching and taunting him.

To further understand the poor lad's misfortune, let's travel back a bit.

After the heart-felt moment he and Lethy shared at the market, during which they had their first _real_ kiss and decided to give this searing romance between them a legitimate chance - a moment that he will always remember with fondness and will always hate Jonathan for interrupting it _so rudely_ \- the Hammunaptra expedition mounted their camels and began their journey across the sun-baked Sahara dessert. But because there were only six camels available, they quickly became aware of the fact that some of them would have to share the means of transportation and travel in pairs. Even though Rick and Evie had started getting along a lot better, they still weren't in that point of their relationship where they'd feel comfortable enough as to be co-passengers. And, let's be honest, if Jonathan and the warden were to travel together on the same animal, they probably would have killed the poor thing - no one, man or beast, should ever have to endure the psychological torture that is their constant bickering. So, alas, the two young couples had swooped in and saved the day, offering to sacrifice themselves for the better good. And that's how Derek had ended up riding with Alethea as his co-passenger, while the newly affectionate duo of Jones and Stilinski were riding together right next to them. Derek assumed that the two of them had sorted out whatever issue they had during their own little talk back at the market for now they looked quite entranced with each other.

At first, everything seemed to be going just fine. The time passed by smoothly as the company rode across the undisputed frying pan that is the endless scorching expanse of the Sahara dessert, cracking jokes and engaging in small talk. Well, the rest of them did. Derek rarely spoke, mostly whenever he felt the need to throw sarcastic remarks at Rick's and Lily's way - these two were the perfect opponents to sharpen and quicken his wit - or when he'd indulge in a laid-back conversation with the beautiful girl seated before him on the saddle. And when they weren't too busy rolling their eyes at Jonathan's complains regarding the hygiene of camels or souring their faces in disgust at just another one of the warden's repulsive habits - seriously, the sight of that guy eating is the stuff that creates children's nightmares - they would simply enjoy the marvelous view surrounding them.

All in all, it was a good time. Until the sun eventually set and the dessert was covered by a blanket of darkness and chilliness. Soon enough, most of the expedition had fallen asleep on top of their camels, filling the air with the small sounds of snores and heavy breathing. Rick and Derek were the only ones that remained wide awake for they had to pay attention to the road and make sure that they were heading towards the right direction. When the air started getting cold, causing Lethy to shake slightly, Derek covered her up with a blanket that they had brought along to protect them from the nighttime chilliness for which the desert is famous for. Lethy snuggled underneath the warm blanket and buried herself deeper into Derek's embrace, causing something to tug at Derek's heart. Despite the comfortable conditions, Alethea had been extremely reluctant about falling asleep at first, for she was afraid of what could occur once her eyelids were closed. But, in the end, she wasn't able to avoid the inevitable sleepy flutter of her eyelids or the warm kiss of Morpheus as he took her away into the land of dreams. When he felt her body going stiff in his arms and her breathing slowing down, Derek decided that it'd be best if he simply let her rest, since she was obviously in grave need of it, and so he didn't disturb her.

 _BIG **. MISTAKE!**_

Approximately five minutes later, Derek's senses picked up on some _unsettling_ signs. Her heart had started beating faster, her breath was coming out in slow pants - that soon turned into moans - and the very distinct spike of arousal painted her naturally airy and clean scent in the red color of sin. Derek didn't have to be a medium to figure out that he was royally _fucked_ at the moment. And so his torment began. For the next hour or so - that honestly felt like an eternity to him - he had to endure the sight of Alethea Carnahan trashing restlessly in her sleep as just another wet dream seemed to rock her world. He felt her writhing and quivering in his arms like a cat in heat, quiet little mewling sounds and moans of _his_ name erupting from her lips every ten seconds as if to taunt him, the delicious scent of her desire invading his nostrils and teasing his senses. He felt his inner animal waking up and clawing its way to the surface, his eyes stinging as they started shifting to their electric blue color, both his gums and fingernails throbbing as they etched to unleash the blades they hid underneath. The beast wanted out, it wanted to be set free in order to taste for itself the exquisite treat that smelled oh so good, it wanted to ravage, to devour, to claim. But he couldn't let it happen. No matter how much he craved it - craved _her_ \- he couldn't take advantage of her like that, while she was unconscious and vulnerable. Nor could he let her fall prey to his inner self's dark instincts for he didn't know how far he was willing to go - if he was able to hurt her. It didn't matter that it was his name on her lips, that he knew exactly how badly she desired him as well. He couldn't do it, not like this. He might harbor a crazy animal within him but he refuses to stoop to the level of a brute. He won't do anything that she doesn't _consensually and knowingly_ ask for him to do.

So he simply endures it. He buries his claws in his own palms, sinks his fangs in his own flesh and tries really hard to ignore the throbbing, searing pain between his legs as his cock has officially reached full hardness and is weeping for release that it'll probably never find. It's the only way he can ground himself before completely losing it. That, and wondering what the fuck could he have possibly done to deserve such an unceremonious sucker punch in the jaw by the universe, instead of focusing on the delicious sounds coming out of her mouth. He is actually surprised by his own self-control, but he doesn't have the time to pat himself on the back, cuz right about then Alethea lets out a particularly loud moan that causes Jonathan to stir in his sleep. Thankfully, though, the scrawny fellow loves his sleep way too much to care about whatever it was that just sounded. Nonetheless, Lethy's condition is no longer exclusively Derek's problem. He has no other choice but to wake her up before she gives herself away and force everyone into a very awkward and highly unideal situation.

"Lethy. Lethy, I beg of you, wake up!" he whispers through gritted teeth, his voice strained and hoarse due to the fact that his animal is still way too close to the surface. Luckily, he feels her stirring up in his arms and the momentary relief her being awake gives him is enough to help him control his beastly side just for a little while longer. Or so he thinks. 'cause right about then, she shifts in his arms and opens her eyes. Slowly, languidly, a tease in its own right. And Derek has no other choice but to meet her glazed, lust-filled, hazy gaze, instantly becoming a prisoner of those exquisite charcoal orbs that sparkle like the starry sky above them - captivated by her allure and unable to break free. Her head is tilted in just the right angle for their gazes to lock and the distance between their lips to reduce in just a single inch. She's breathing heavily, her little pants creating warm puffs that lick at his skin enticingly, a generous amount of red dust decorating her cheeks and neck in the form of a delicious, glimmering flush - although partly awake, the intensity of her dream and its undeniable effects still seem to have a firm hold on her.

Derek is clinging on to his sanity for dear life, trying not to let his control slip away. He goes to great spiritual lengths to prevent his eyes from shifting to their cold steel blue and letting show what's hidden inside. But, apparently, today's meant to be the day he's going to lose his mind! For then Alethea envelops his hand in her much smaller one, taking a firm hold of it, and moves it to her lower abdomen. Together, their joined hands travel lower and lower, Derek's heartbeat accelerating and his control close to snapping, until his palm eventually lands on her most intimate of parts. Her core is warm and wet (he can feel it even through the layers of fabric covering her body) and it pulses instinctually at the sense of Derek's hand cupping it. Lethy lets out a deep sigh that resembles relief at the contact whilst Derek growls dangerously. He can feel how much she needs him, he can feel her desire soaking through the cloth of her dress and dripping on to his fingers, inviting him to have a taste. "Lethy... I-I can't..." he breaths out with much strain and difficulty. "Please" is all she says, a breathy little word, low as a whisper and wanton as a moan. That, combined with the touch-starved, almost hypnotized look on her face and the sin of her lips only an inch away from his, is enough to remind him that, in the end of the day, he is just a man and has so little restrain.

And that's about all he can take. Just like that, his control is shattered and he has no other choice but to give in.

With a hungry growl emanating from deep in his throat, he uses his free hand to grab a good hold of Lethy's chin and hold her head in the right angle for him to crush his mouth against her, sealing their lips in a searing kiss. He feels her moaning against his mouth, his tongue taking advantage of the opportunity to sneak into the warm cavity. It starts to explore; stroking, tasting, savoring, swaying with her own in a slow, languid dance that only seems to intensify their desire for each other. And she kisses him back with just as much passion and fervor. She presses her lips firmly against his own, her teeth graze against his bottom lip in light teasing nips and when he starts stroking her through the fabric of her dress she rocks against his hand, grinding, creating friction that sends them both reeling. Derek rubs her vigorously, his fingers working in figure eights over her little bottom of pleasure, the silken dress thin enough for him to feel the warmth of her sex, the moisture dampening his fingertips as she keeps riding his hand feverishly - and he can't help but wonder if this is how she'd look like while riding his cock; wanton, desperate for release and yet oh so beautiful like a mythical fairy. He keeps on pleasuring her, devouring her lips and swallowing her sounds of pleasure at the same time. He is slow at first, wanting to tease her in the same way that she's been teasing him, wanting to make her feel good and make it last. But as her heartbeat accelerates, the scent of her arousal thickens and her moans turn into whines of desperation, he picks up the speed, going at a vicious pace that almost causes her to bounce off the saddle.

Eventually, the need for oxygen is too much even for a superhuman like Derek and the two break the kiss, panting heavily as they try to regain their breaths. "Make sure you keep quiet, princess" he whispers as lowly as possible against her ear, his voice hoarse with desire and due to the lack of oxygenated air. "We don't want to wake up anyone cuz then I'd have to stop. And you don't want that right?" to emphasis his point, he rubs a particularly harsh circle against her sensitive mound, causing her to gasp audibly and then bite her lip almost instinctively to stop the sound from getting too far. She shakes her head no and he chuckles darkly in her ear. "Thought so. Don't worry, princess. I don't want to stop either. At least not until I have you writhing and coming all over my hand" he can feel the effect his words have on her as a new wave of desire washes over his hand at that exact moment, causing him to smirk to himself. Derek can feel his animal howling in pride inside his chest, marveling at the exquisite sight of Lethy's swollen red lips, flushed skin and eyes screwed shut in pleasure. Pleasure that _he_ gave her. He made her go wild with lust, he made her body reach new heights, he gave her those oh so powerful, overwhelming and intense sensations that brought her to this state.

He is a man with super-human strength. A man that has seen many different battlefields and has fought many wars - none of which was ever his own. He has fired many guns and killed many enemies. And yet, he has never felt as powerful as he feels right now. Cuz this girl that is trembling in his arms right now, biting her lip in order not to let the others know how good he makes her feel, makes him feel like a true king. Like a god. And that's a feeling, an honor and a privilege that neither gold nor fighting is ever going to be able to offer him.

And, apparently, she's about to offer him even more.

The feeling is very familiar to him, yet he is caught off guard when he experiences it this time, a prominent half-hiss/half-growl escaping his throat as warmth suddenly envelops his cock. His eyes - that had momentarily screwed shut due to the intense pleasure that immediately overwhelmed him - snap open and when he looks down he sees that Lethy's hand had sneaked through his trousers, her delicate fingers having wrapped themselves around his manhood. She is a bold one, his little vixen, and he is not one to complain. Instead, he decides to show her exactly how much he appreciates her little surprise by stroking her harder and faster. The delicious friction caused by his vicious fingers only serves to raise Alethea higher, a high-pitched cry getting stuck to her throat as she bites her lip and buries her nails to the worn out leather of the saddle to try and contain herself. In return, the motions of her hand pick up speed, stroking him faster and rougher, stimulating him to the point where it's almost painful and release is needed. He is close, they both are, he can feel it. He's been hard for a really long time, so it's only a matter of seconds until he comes undone and he wants his girl there with him.

Derek's hand sneaks through the skirts of her dress, his rough fingertips caress the creamy skin of her inner thigh until they eventually nudge against the warm flesh of her womanhood, desire coming out of her in waves. Without warning, he plugs his fingers knuckle-deep into her waiting, eager cunt, his thumb continuing to attack the little bottom of nerves on top of her mound, and that's all it takes for her to come apart. Alethea writhes and spasms in his arms, her cunt clenching around his fingers as tightly as a vice, practically trying to milk them for reproduction, but even in her delirious state of mind she has enough wits to think of slamming her lips against his own in order to silence the series of scream that threatened to escape her. He howls into the kiss, the combination of her lips crushing against his own with bruising force, the feeling of her orgasm and a particularly effective twist of her wrist being just about enough to trigger his own climax. They bring each other down from their highs gently, softly stroking each other through their respective orgasms and breathing heavily through their broken kiss.

After the fog has cleared off and their heartbeats have subsided, the heavy weight of reality descents upon Derek's tense shoulders, causing him to suddenly grow weary of their surroundings. His suddenly very alert eyes roam the scene around them and are very careful in their search for any alarming indications. Jonathan is sound asleep, his head bobbing comically to the rhythm of his camel, while on the camel next to him, the warden snores _extremely loudly_. What would have driven him nuts under different circumstances is now a very welcome addition to the trip as it allowed them to fool around in the dark without alerting anyone else of their tryst. What a godsend! Derek thinks and is immediately surprised at himself but decides to to pay it little mind. Up in front of them, Evelyn is sleeping soundly on top of her camel. Her body is so relaxed though that she slowly starts to slide off her saddle. Thankfully, Rick is quick to catch her, stopping her from falling off and then gently pushing her back up onto her saddle, never waking her. For a long moment, his eyes watch Evelyn, intently, curiously and almost _fondly..._ Apparently he is not the only one who got a cupid's arrow up his ass and he'll make sure to drill about him endlessly once the dawn breaks. At some point, Rick's eyes travel to Derek's form as if asking him if there's a problem, to which he replies by simply shrugging nonchalantly and nodding negatively. Thankfully, no sultry smile or mischievous glint can be seen in Rick's eyes, putting all of Derek's worries to rest.

Heaving a deep sigh of relief, Derek's gaze feels the urgent need to return to Lethy, only to find her sleeping soundly once again in his arms. Derek chuckles lowly, a gentle adoring smile stretching out across his lips at the pretty sight before him. Alethea's lips are parted, letting out small adorable sounds that warm his heart, her features are soft as silk and serene, her raven hair a fair curtain framing her beautiful face, her heartbeat a steady rhythm. Everything about her makes him smile. With lots of caution in order not to wake her up, he uses the blanket to clean up the mess they made and replaces it with his jacket - it's not like he needs it, he rarely feels cold anyway. "Good night, princess" he whispers against her hairline, before crowning her head with a sweet gentle kiss that causes her to smile in her sleep.

* * *

 **HOLY. SHIT! Pardon the French guys but oh man was this a handful to write! Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it highly! *wink wink* But the conditions under which I had to write it where the absolute worst! But hey! One writing slump, two months of struggle and a lot of perfectionism drama later, I finally have it! I really hope that you all enjoyed this chapter guys, this is the first piece of smut that I ever publish and I wanted it to be perfect! #Self-conscious #ShyFace I'll be expecting lots of feedback from y'all, cuz as I've said many times before and I'll never stop saying: 'reviews and** **CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM** **are always welcome because they help me become a better write'. Okay, enough ranting for one day. XD I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the chap, my princesses, and see you again next time! Hopefully not two months later LOL. XD**

 **#Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess ;-)**


	12. Don't Cry For Tragedies Lived And Lost

**GUESS WHO'S NOT DEAD! THAT'S RIGHT BABY! THE BITCH IS BACK! YAHOOO! God did I miss this world and this story! I know it's been a long while guys but now I'm back and we're gonna have some fun!**

* * *

"Oi! O'Connell!" the infamous squeaky holler of her brother is what wakes Lethy up from her more than pleasant slumber the next morning. She doesn't want to abandon the peaceful world of dreams, but as Hypnos flies further and further away from her reach, she comes to the conclusion that it's indeed time to return to reality.

Thankfully, not all of last night's pleasantries disappeared by sunrise. As she starts to come back to her senses, she realizes that she's still wrapped up in a cocoon of warmth consisted of Derek's strong, protective arms and his coat which he used to cover her up last night. It was such a sweet and considerate gesture, him caring for her comfort and welfare made her heart flutter giddily like a baby bird about to take its first flight. But since it's the early hours of the morning, the desert heat has already started making her presence known, which means that Lethy no longer needs the cover to keep herself warm. She carefully throws the coat off her body so as not to toss it off the camel and shifts in her seat in an attempt to somehow relieve her limbs from the numbness of sleep, but the limitations of her current position won't allow such a luxury. Nonetheless, this is the most comfortable she's felt in her whole life!

She slowly opens up her eyelids, allowing her charcoal orbs to feast upon the exquisite sight that is the Sahara desert illuminated by the gentle colors of the breaking dawn. "Morning, princess" Derek's lips kiss the shell of her ear gently, the words spoken to her a deep and gruff melody that washes over her like honey and tingles her senses like an erotic call. She shudders in his arms pleasantly, a smile adorning her lips and a hearty purr emanating from deep within her chest like a satisfied kitten. She turns to look at him and the moment she gazes into those deep forest green eyes she feels everything coming back to her! Every kiss, every touch, every breath shared between them as they got lost in a world that was entirely their own and shared a passion like no other, their only witnesses being the moon and stars above.

She still can't believe that last night actually happened! Nor does she know what came over her at the moment that lead to it happening... All she knows for sure is that it was inevitable. She was so drunk on the high of her dream that it was as if a force greater than her was controlling her. A force beyond logic, beyond reason, beyond earthy things. The all too hedonistic and euphoric sensations overflowing her body had her hypnotized, intoxicated and utterly consumed to the point where only the barest, most instinctual and primal instinct was left burning powerfully like a pyre within her soul, her heart and her core. She was trapped in a place between consciousness and unconsciousness, between dream and reality. So, when she opened her eyes and met Derek's pale green orbs, felt the soft comforting warmth of his breath caressing her skin and his glorious sturdy body enveloping her, offering her security...it was the epitome of a perfect storm! And every cell in her body was _urging_ her to take advantage of it. So, she did. And it was the best decision she's ever made. The most magical, most heavenly and happy moment of the entire trip so far, only further enforced and validated by the recollection burning all too real in the front of her mind and on her every sense.

"Good morning to you too" she whispers in a honeyed morning voice, snuggling closer to the warmth and comfort of his broad chest, a half-grin on top of her lips. Noticing her glow, Derek allows a pleasant smile to adorn his face - the kind of smile a man gives his woman when her joy and satisfaction is the reason for his own happiness. If it was possible, Lethy's heart only melts even more. "Did you sleep well?" he asks her in a low whisper, as he affectionately nuzzles his cheek against the side of her face and neck, almost like a wolf would do to his beloved mate. His scruff rubbing against the smoothness of her skin is delicious, enticing and creates a feeling of completeness. "Better than I had in months" she replies, ducking her head to unite their smiles in a sweet kiss that causes sparks to fly between them, a sweet like sugar feeling to settle in both of their hearts and for their happiness to reach level five.

"Will you two lovebirds stop snogging and look at this already?!" unfortunately, Lily's buzzkiller of wail interrupts their lovely moment, causing both of them to groan in frustration and exasperation. "This better be worth it" Derek mumbles and Lethy agrees with a shake of her head. But the two lovers are left dumbstruck and chocked on their own words when they come face to face with the sight that had their friends bewitched this entire time. There, in the middle of the desert, among the sand dunes, lies a mysterious structure. "Is that Hammunaptra?" asks Evie.

"Highly unlikely" answers Rick. "According to my calculations, we shouldn't reach it for another couple of miles. We should arrive by the time the sun hits noon's position. Not so soon"

"Besides, this looks nothing like the city of the dead that we visited" Derek adds.

"Then what could it be?" asks Stiles.

Rick shrugs. "Maybe there was a sand storm that brought it to the surface?" he assumes.

"I don't know about you laddies but it looks like a temple from where I'm standing. And a temple means treasures! So I say we go check it out!" says Jonathan all giddily.

"Are you serious right now, Johnny?" says Lethy all exasperated. "We can't abandon our path so easily! We must reach Hammunaptra before these American arseholes destroy all archaeological findings. Or else there'll be nothing left for us to examine and for _you_ to steal!" she points out as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Oh come on now, Leth! It will take ages for these guys to even catch up with us, let alone pass us! They started on the wrong side, were forced to go full circle just to get on the right track and we're two miles away from the city according to our cowboys' directions. We have plenty of time to go down there, take whatever treasure is in it and still make it to Hammunaptra before lunch time!" Jonathan presents his case quite vigorously.

"Hate to admit it, but your brother has a point" says Rick, causing Lethy to look at him all baffled and wide-eyed! "You're kidding, right?" she says in a bedazzled voice. Rick merely shrugs nonchalantly and then states that: "You can never have too much gold in your pocket"

"Wow, I never thought I'd live to see the day that you of all people would agree with Johnny" she comments sarcastically.

"Trust me, I feel the same as you" Rick assured her, causing Jonathan to let out an offended 'hey!' "But just the possibility of us finding treasure in that place is worth the trouble"

"What do you have to say about this, Evie?" Lethy inquires.

"From my stand-point it looks like a temple. A very luxurious one, to be precise! It's a newly discovered archaeological location which is probably full of fascinating information and precious artifacts! I say we go for it! After all, we came here to make new historical discoveries; we shouldn't be throwing away the chance of uncovering more of Ancient Egypt's secrets just because they weren't part of the original plan" the oldest Carnahan pointed out, thus officiating the group's decision.

"Attagirl, Evie! Alright then, boys and girls, let's go grab me some gold!" says Jonathan all excitedly before giving his camel the signal to move forward. After giving him hell for a couple of minutes, the poor animal started walking steadily towards the mysterious location that seemed to have magically appeared out of thin air - as if waiting for them to find it.

* * *

"This place is breathtaking!" Evie announces. Her face is a perfect picture of awe and her voice a soft song of praise as her eyes travel up and down the stony walls of the temple's interior, drinking up every detail of the masterful architectural work and admiring the beautiful hieroglyphics and wall paintings that are covering every surface visible to the eye. Stiles and Lily are also busy taking it all in, while the rest are too busy searching for valuable and saleable artifacts that will earn a day's good buck.

Unlike their friends though, Lethy and Derek are not admiring the scenery. Instead, they wander around like ghosts in a haunted mansion, as if lost in a haze where everything seems surreal and peculiar. They feel both out of place and strangely at place at the same time. Because the moment they stepped foot into the table, they were both hit by a strong sense of familiarity and sorrow as if they've been here before. And both suffered greatly the last time they found themselves within these walls.

* * *

Evelyn's assumption proved to be correct for it is indeed a temple, a very old one too but extremely well-preserved for its age which showcases how much care and how much wealth was put into making it in the first place. Grand stone pillars surround them that hold together a tall ceiling of heavy concrete, decorated by the same hieroglyphic images and illustrations that the walls and floors are decorated as well. There are statues all around too, resembling ancient deities and the kings that presumably were involved in building the temple. But the most magnificent and prominent statue is the one standing tall, proud and glorious in the middle of the temple. The one depicting the image of a beautiful young woman, wearing her signature headpiece (a sun framed by a pair of horns) upon her head.

"This is a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor!" Evie declares in an awe-struck, excited voice as she approaches the statue to further examine it. "Isn't that the Egyptian goddess of love and marriage? She's my favorite deity!" says Lily with an equal amount of enthusiasm. "Woah, an actual Ancient Egyptian babe! Nice!" Stiles comments, causing Lily to scoff disapprovingly.

But that's the first time that Lethy didn't pay any mind to her best friend's antiques. She couldn't pay attention to anything else really except from the strange case of deja-vous she was experiencing. The feeling is similar to the one she experienced when she first met Derek, only this time it is a lot deeper, more overwhelming and, in a way...unsettling and core-shaking.

"Oh Lethy!" her sister's voice broke her from her trance. She turned around and found Evelyn standing in front of one of the many illustrations adorning the temple's walls, torch extended high above her head to allow her a clear view of the signs and their meaning. "What is it?" Alethea asked as she came to stand next to the other Carnahan gal. "Look!" Evie urged her and so she did.

She raised her eyes to take a better look at what had her sister so fixated and her breath instantly caught at her throat. In front of her was the illustration of a young woman with ethereal beauty, dark features, hair the color of midnight, bronze complexion and the gaze of a feline, dressed in luxurious white robes and adorned by golden jewelry. Right by her side, there was a young man dressed all in black, with long wavy locks framing a chiseled face, whose fingers ended in long claws like the ones of an animal and whose eyes had the mystical red color of rubies. In front of both of them, the goddess Hathor was standing with her arms extended as if she was giving them her blessing. Suddenly the deja-vous hit her harder, making it hard for her to breath for she felt like she was being consumed by a dark vortex. It was as if she was looking at a mirror and yet the image that was starring back at her belonged to her but at another person as well. She felt torn, split, lost.

"What the hell is this, Evelyn?" she finally managed to speak, her voice croaked and choked up due to the numerous emotions running through her veins. "Oh I'm surprised you don't remember" her sister said, completely oblivious to Lethy's dismay. "These are Amana-neith and Adom-nour! Mama used to tell us this story every night before going to bed when we were little. You used to love this story Lethy. It was your favorite I presume" Evie answers. Brief flashes of a younger version of herself lying on her bed while her mother narrated stories to her and her siblings came to her mind. Of feeling so connected to them, in a way that she couldn't describe, as if she was a part of them...But never before had she felt so overwhelmed, so ripped apart...Something was different, something had changed...There was more now. Now there was an underlying knowledge in her heart, a link that had developed years ago and was only now showing his light to guide her through the darkness of oblivion. "Yes...I remember now..." Lethy admits in a weak voice.

"Who is this Adom-whatever guy again?" asks Stiles from somewhere far away - or is it just how Lethy feels it?

"You don't know the story, Stiles?" Evie inquired.

"I'm a middle-class American dude. It's not like my dad read Egyptian myths to me before going to sleep" he said.

"Oh well it is a rather remarkable and touching story!" says Evie. "And I believe that these hieroglyphics depict it accurately enough for me to translate them. If, of course, you want to know more about the story"

"Sure, what the hell" Rick chimes in, his voice bored and a bit disappointed. "We didn't find any treasure whatsoever in this place, so maybe that way our visit won't be a total bust".

"Alright then" says Evie. She traces the signs with her fingertips and starts reading their translated version out loud. With every word of hers, a dagger pierces Lethy's heart and a new image flashes before her eyes, like an otherworldly memory. Cutting her body into a million pieces and revealing her soul in its purest of forms, bare and exposed for all of the universe to see - and put it back together again by connecting the fragments with its fated essence.

* * *

"Amana-neith was the high priestess of Hathor, serving under the command of Sedi the First, of whom she was the most trusted and loyal subject"

 _Palaces made of gold. Herself dancing in front of a crowd of thousands, for a king that she doesn't know yet would give up her life for his sake. And the great hall of a temple just like this one, full of white-dressed women, surrounding a single soul that performs the worship rituals before the altar._

* * *

"Adom-nour was the leader of the thirteenth medjais clan, the ones that were called Wepwawet's chosen sons. The legend has it that they had been blessed by Wepwawet, the wolf-formed god of battle, with the gift of strength, speed and agility along with the unique ability to shape-shift into wolves, thus always being undefeated when in war"

 _Men in black underneath the silver full moon. Wolves howling to the cold dark night sky. Blood painting the desert's sand. Fangs, claws and glowing eyes on human bodies that moved with the speed of light, serving death to whoever crossed their path along the way._

The image flashed before Derek's - mental and physical - eyes, causing his breath to get caught in his throat and his heart to stutter in utter disbelief and stupor.

* * *

"The two fell madly in love with each other. A love so strong that not even Hathor herself could fashion"

This time the vision was shared by the two souls, by the star-crossed lovers in question, and the emotions it evoked were so strong, so overwhelming and core-shaking that nearly drove them to their knees.

 _The two of them kissing on the balcony of her private chambers. Their limbs entwined across the canvas of silken white sheets. Their bodies burning oh so sweetly by an erotic fire, their breaths mingled, their hearts in sync._

* * *

"But there was tragedy written on their stars. On the night of their wedding, Amana-neith was murdered by an unnamed foe. The loss of his beloved bride was so devastating that Adom-nour, in his despair, ripped the dagger out of her breathless, cold body and jammed it in his own chest as well, stabbing his heart and killing himself the same way his love had perished"

* * *

 _A dark shadow looming over her. A single moment of dread. Sadness penetrating her heart, cold and unforgiving like the blade of the knife now ripping through her rib-cage, stealing her breath and life force away._

Alethea gasps in shock and teardrops rolls down her cheek, staining the bronze porcelain skin, as her hand unconsciously climbs on her chest, feeling at the space over her heart. Thankfully, it's still where it's supposed to be, intact, unscathed and functioning. Only that is now beating so rapidly and so loudly that she fears it might actually jump out of her body. She's never felt so afraid in her entire life! For a moment, she really felt as if she was going to die! _What the hell was that?!_

* * *

 _Red staining the wide expanse of heavenly white veils. Hopelessness and sorrow clouding his eyes and mind. The sound of a devastating scream ripping through his chest...and then the coldness of a blade taking it all away, eliminating his pain and smothering him with darkness._

A choked-up sound, something between a gasp and a dying scream, escapes Derek's lips. A million streams of adrenaline get mixed up with his blood flow and his hand immediately flies to his chest, tracing the place where the knife had pierced his heart but encountering nothing but semi-clean cloth and an erratic heartbeat. At least it still works, he thought. He had never felt so afraid in his entire life! For a moment he thought that he was actually dead - that _she_ was actually dead. Suddenly he feels moisture tingling his cheeks and the slight scent of salt irritating his nostrils. _Am I... Am I crying?!_ he thought to himself, unable to remember of the last time that he shed a tear. What the hell is happening?

* * *

"They say that their death was so heartbreaking that even Hathor herself mourned them. And the tears that the goddess cried for them covered the young lovers like a protective barrier, shielding them and creating a crystal-like layer over their dead bodies that preserved them. The thirteenth clan mourned for the loss of their leader and buried both him and his wife with great respects and luxuries inside the same temple they were killed as if worried that they'd disturb their spirits if they decided to move them. Finally, a prophecy was bestowed upon their spirits. According to Hathor's will, their souls are to be reincarnated every 200 years, meant to find each other through places and time. They will meet and fall in love all over again and every time they'll reach a bit closer to being together forever but they will always end up losing each other or being separated one way or another. That circle will continue until they'll complete their mission. Only then will they be able to spend a full lifetime together in peace and serenity, happy as they always should have been" Evie finishes the narration of the story and Lethy feels like she can finally breath again, safe from any more flashing images and otherworldly sensations that might dumbfound her.

"Wow. Now that was depressing as shit" Stiles comments.

"I thought it was beautiful! Such a touching and romantic story!" says Lily.

"I didn't know you had a thing for tragedies" Stiles quips.

"Well I normally don't, but if a story is good it's good" she says.

"Alright chaps! We've wasted enough precious time in this unfortunate godforsaken fiasco! Let's get back on the road and find that city before the cowboys loot all of _our_ treasure!" says Jonathan determined.

"Oh! So _now_ you want us to move quickly?" Lily deadpans at him. "Where was that attitude two hours ago when you were begging us to abandon our path so you can look under rocks?"

"You all agreed to it, so who's the real fool here?" Jonathan bites back.

The argument continued on their way out too, until their voices could no longer disturb the peace and harmony of the temple. Their companions stepped outside without realizing that Lethy and Derek were left behind, frozen in place, speechless and stunned out of their minds!

* * *

Once the petrifying started wearing off, Lethy slowly turned around to face Derek. Once her charcoal orbs beheld his form, her heart broke even more at the sight of tears and mournful sorrow staining his fair features. Their eyes met, perfect mirrors of each other and of the storm going on inside both of their souls.

"Did you...Did you see...?" she couldn't even finish her sentence, that's how upset she was.

"I did" he said in a broken voice.

"Wha-what was that...? Why? Why did it...How...What is going on...?" by that time, a pair of strong, safe and comforting arms had wrapped themselves around her, pulling her towards a strong, firm and warm body - towards security, towards reassurance, towards home. Lethy placed her hands on Derek's chest, counted the heartbeats of his erratic heart that matched her own to a perfect rhythm and allowed the knowledge that he was there with her, holding her close, to calm her down. "What is happening to us?" she whispered, although it was more like a question towards the universe not an actual inquiry. She was so lost in the haze of emotions right now that she didn't even know if she was speaking out loud or screaming on the inside.

Derek stroked her hair and back comfortingly, placed a soothing kiss on top of her head and answered nonetheless: "I don't know, princess. I really don't".

* * *

And it was true. None of them could understand at that moment, in their overwhelmed state, the significance of their shared visions. Nor of their shared destiny. But the time draws nearer that everything will become clear.

* * *

 **Yahooooooooo! I missed writing this story so much! Woah what a feeling! First of all, I'd like to thank all of you guys for waiting on me to recover and for not giving up on this story! I feel like I'm back better than ever and I can't wait to show you what else is in store here for these two lovely creatures! Once again, please send me a comment (** _ **CONSTRUCTIVE**_ **criticism and feedback are always welcome), favorite, follow and don't forget to #Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess ;-)**


	13. Welcome to the City of the Dead

**Okay guys so! I re-watched the** **film to** **freshen up** **my** **memory and** **realized that** **I got** **the** **timeline of** **the** **journey** **a bit mixed up** **so** **we'll just** **have** **to** **pretend that** **they** **have** **another day ahead** **of** **them** **until** **they** **reach Hammunaptra. Cool? Cool. Once again, I apologize for** **taking** **me so** **long** **to** **post but** **life** **has** **been** **hectic and** **I really** **didn't** **wanna rush** **the** **final** **result. Especially since** **this** **chapter features a scene from** **the** **film that** **is** **very dear to** **me and** **I'd like** **to** **make it** **good. I love you** **all** **lovely readers and** **I hope you** **like** **this** **chapter as** **much as** **the** **rest.**

* * *

After leaving Hathor's temple, the team returned to its original course and started making its way across the wide expanse of sand dunes. It would take them another full day to reach Hammunaptra - according to Rick's instructions - and the biggest part of the journey was spent in silence by Lethy and Derek. None of their friends was - or would ever be - able to understand the amount of turmoil going on within both of their souls at the given time. The events that took place at the temple were beyond any of their understanding and left them both feeling shook down to their very cores.

The visions, so vivid and terrifying, made them question the very existence of logic and reality. That experience was something otherworldly; something from a different life quite literally. But neither Lethy nor Derek could bring themselves to talk to each other about this strange occurrence due to the conflicted emotions that it had evoked in both of them. Fear and shock had overwhelmed them both. Had they actually experienced these things? Or was it just a trick of their overly excited imagination? Were these visions even theirs? Were they even real? And if they were, what were they trying to tell them? What did they mean?

And most importantly...how do they affect their connection? Because... if these visions weren't real... could this mean that their connection isn't real either...? And if they were real...then could they have possibly gotten themselves into something far bigger than them?

Something so great that runs deeper than death?

* * *

Lethy didn't get any sleep during the night. She was too afraid to venture into the unkind land of dreams again, so she remained a restless stiff on top of the camel for the rest of the evening. At the given time, even the sweet visions of her and dream-Derek loving each other were too much for her heart to handle. Because, she could no longer separate the honey of those lovely moments from the poison that the bitter hour of her death harbored. Because, now she knew that these happy moments were only leading up to a cruel and brutal end - when the knife of some unknown foe would rip her chest open.

Judging by the steady breathing and moody vibes coming from Derek, he didn't sleep either. Lethy couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking the same thing that she was. _Of_ _course_ _he_ _is,_ she kept reminding herself. What they went through was enough to make any sane man lose his marbles; brooding, dashing soldiers like himself may be immune to a lot of things, but insanity isn't one of them.

All she knew was that she couldn't bare the deafening silence any longer! To her, it felt as if there was a brick wall standing between them, and the more it stood there, the more she felt as if she couldn't breathe! Even his embrace felt different. Before going into that blasted temple, there was fire in the way that he held her close to his body; a sort of warmth, passion and intimacy as if they were meant to be united and should never be separated. But now, there were only embers; there was uncertainty and restraint in his embrace, as if he didn't know how to act around her anymore. And yet, his arms remained a close fit around her form, as if he was unable to resist touching her - even at this difficult time. Said fact was a small consolation, but Lethy still despised the cold distance between them. She wanted them to be as close as possible, to have his warmth surrounding her, his lips against her ear whispering sweet nothings that no one else could hear. So, instead of drowning in misery, she decided to do something about it. After all, she was a woman of action and solutions, not self-pity.

Alas, around dawn break, she found the courage to talk to him. "Derek?" she whispers, making sure that everyone else's too focused on navigation to care for their affairs. "Can we talk?"  
"Not now, princess" he says in a low voice without any hint of emotion.  
"Why?" she asked to know.  
Derek waits a second before replying: "We're here"

The camels halt their movements, solidifying Derek's statement, and Lethy instantly turns around in order to see Hammunaptra with her own two eyes. Instead of seeing the imposing and magnificent structure of the City of the Dead, though, the sight she encounters is merely even more sand upon sand. "Where is it? I don't see anything" she says.  
"Patience" is all Derek says in a cryptic voice.

"Oh no" suddenly Lily's voice breaks the silence, notifying them of the fact that they are not alone. Unfortunately, they've got company; and it's not of the good kind."I have a bad feeling about this" says Stiles as he too notices the unpleasant additions that are now coming towards them. A group of horse riders, which Lethy recognizes as the American Expedition that was with them on the boat and is also after the secret treasures of Hammunaptra, appears from behind the far end of the dune. The Americans are accompanied by two dozen native diggers and an elegantly dressed Arab man that looks like a scholar to her - _definitely_ _an_ _egyptologist_ , she thinks. The Americans are lead by a sleazy looking cockroach of a human being on top of a stinky camel. So far, the most repulsive wildlife they've encountered are the warden pig and the weasel with the fez.

"Good morning my friends" the hideous creature snarls at Rick and Derek, showing off his disgustingly filthy yellow teeth through a malicious smirk that causes Alethea to frown. "What in the bloody hell is this freak show now?"

" _That_ is called a Beni" says Derek from behind her. "Take a good look at it princess because he will soon become extinct. I'll personally make sure of it" he ends his sentence with a threatening growl that would cause even an iceberg to shiver in fear.

"As always, your words have wounded me, my good friend. Why do you always have to be so mean?" says Beni in a faux-hurt voice that only manages to further annoy Derek. "Oh trust me little shit if I truly wanted to wound you, you wouldn't be breathing now" says the former legionnaire in a menacing tone, his eyes nearly glowing red with anger.

"Take it easy, brother. You'll have plenty of time to skin the little fucker alive, but only after we've gotten our hands on Seti's treasure. Until then, behave" and with these words from Rick, Lethy senses the big bad wolf behind her loosening up and relaxing a bit.

The American Expedition's horses also come to a halt and the two groups stand side by side, waiting for whatever it is that they're supposed to. "What the hell are we doing?" one of the Americans demands to know in an exasperated tone. "Patience my good barat'm. Patience" says Beni in that broken accent of his.

"Remember our bet, O'Connell?" says one of the Americans - a young man with long blonde hair - in a taunting manner. "First one to the city. Five hundred cash bucks"

"A hundred of them bucks is yours if you help us win that bet" adds another horseman.

"Oh, my pleasure" says Beni sardonically.

"You actually made a bet out of it?" asks Lethy exasperated.

"I wouldn't have to if it wasn't for your brother" says Rick, causing both Carnahan sisters to shoot angry accusatory glances at Jonathan. "What did you do now?" says Evie. Jonathan stammers for an answer, causing Lethy to roll her eyes in frustration. _He fucked_ _up. How_ _hard_ _is_ _that_ _to_ _say?_ "You really enjoy getting hit on the head, don't you brother? That must be it, 'cause I honestly can't think of another reason why you'd keep on putting yourself in sticky situations like this" says Lethy in a serious manner because God damnit she loves her brother and doesn't want to see him in a casket before his time. Is that really too much to ask? Jonathan doesn't say anything back, he simply lowers his head in embarrassment. Lethy sighs in frustration.

"Well, at least let's make something out of this mess" she murmurs to herself and gives their camel a good nudge with the reins, urging her to move forward so as to stand out from the crowd. "Yo cowboy!" she calls out, causing all of the Americans to notice her. "Make that _a thousand_ bucks cash" she says in a confident and provoking voice.

"What the hell are you doing?" Derek growls at her. "Relax, we're gonna win" she hisses back at him before turning back to look at the Yankees. As expected, they were all sporting dumb, arrogant smirks that she simply couldn't wait to wipe clean off their faces once they had beaten them.

"That your girl Hale?" the blonde one asks, a mischievous glint now shimmering in his eyes. She knew that look all too well and it only made her wanna roll her eyes at him.

"Something like that" says Derek.

"I like her. She's got some fire in her alright"

"I wouldn't mess with her if I were you, Henderson. Cause she also has one hell of a bite" says Derek and Lethy gives him a 'thank-you-baby' look.

"So? What do you say? A thousand bucks. Are you in or are you out?" Lethy dares them looking mighty provoking.

"You got yourself a deal, lady" says Henderson in his western accent, dirty smirk still where it used to be.

"Excellent" says Lethy. "After all, my sisters and I will be needing the cash to buy some new boots after ruining our current pairs by stepping all over your backs" Lily made an appraising sound whilst Evie gave her a proud look. The Americans simply snickered through their whiskers at her, but she didn't pay them any mind. She was used to men like them treating her as nothing more than a source of amusement. She thought that she was jesting - the poor little girl playing with the big boys. But they didn't know Alethea Carnahan. She's hiding plenty of tricks up her sleeve. And she can't wait to show them what she is made of. So she eats up their contempt and uses it as fuel to recharge her engine.

"Get ready for it" Rick tells Evelyn, causing her to look at him in a confused way.

"For what?" she inquires.

"We're about to be shown the way" Derek adds and then they see it happening.

As the sun rises from the East, painting the horizon golden and crimson, an image starts shimmering before their very eyes like the illusion of an oasis coming to life. Although this isn't some thirsty man's delusion, this isn't the elusive dream of a watering hole in the middle of the desert. This is Hammunaptra alright. The City of the Dead. _Either_ _some_ _sort_ _of_ _nature's_ _miracle, or_ _the_ _works_ _of_ _otherworldly_ _witchcraft._ Under different circumstances, thoughts of the particular kind wouldn't even dare to cross Alethea's mind. But, after her bizarre experience at Hathor's temple she is willing to bet her life on any explanation of how things like that come to be - possible or impossible.

Both parties stare in awe as the peculiar sight unfolds itself, revealing the glory and mystery that the object of their desire holds, and showing them the way to the secret treasures of a time that was nearly forgotten by men.

"Will you look at that?" says the blonde American in a bewildered voice.

"Can you believe it?" one of his mates adds in the exact same tone.

"Hammunaptra" the American with the white hat declares in an all too excited voice.

"Here we go again" says Rick in an almost complaining manner, completely unaffected by the miracle taking place at the time - unlike the rest of his party who are left speechless and dumbstruck by it. As Alethea watches her heart's greatest wish and dream materializing itself, she can't help but marvel at the imposing structure of stone and granite hidden amongst the sand dunes. The sight of Hammunaptra, even from afar, proves to be breathtaking.

But daydreaming has got to end at some point because, let's not forget, that they have a race to win and some assholes to humiliate.

The minute the sun reaches its peak and the final detail of the city has come to life, a scream is heard coming from Beni who whips his camel in order to get it moving. The same sound comes from Rick a moment later, only far angrier and more determined, as he lashes his animal in order to give him the 'go' signal. Evelyn softly hits her camel's backsides with her heels, an excited smile on her lips as she begins her own journey, followed by her sister, brother and the rest of their crew who yell enthusiastically as they enter the race as well. "Woah! Let's go!" Lethy yells in a rush of adrenaline as they are shook by their ride's quick stride towards victory. She hears Derek laughing behind her, the sound matching her own cheery mood, complemented by the ecstatic bellow coming from Lily's lips. With a quick glance to the left, Lethy notices that the rest of the Americans have also entered the race, screaming frantically as their horses gallop towards Hammunaptra.

 _Let_ _the_ _games_ _begin._

O'Connell and Beni are the ones leading the race - since they had the advantage of head-starting - and the competition between them is relentless to say the least. They ride side by side and just when O'Connell seems to be getting ahead of the little weasel... _he takes_ _out_ _his_ _whipping_ _stick_ _and_ _starts_ _beating_ _Rick with_ _it!_ Lethy watches the fight intently, grimacing in discomfort every time the little prick hits her friend. _That ugly_ _little_ _thing_ _is_ _not_ _only_ _crude_ _and_ _annoying, he is_ _also_ _down_ _right_ _mad_ _and_ _dangerous!_ Lethy thinks to herself. Rick is getting angrier and angrier by the minute until he eventually has enough of that! He takes ahold of Beni's shirt, his firm grip causing the latter to stop his assault, and gives him one hell of a shove which leads to the little villain falling off his camel. "So long Beni!" she hears the former legionnaire saying before pushing his opponent off his ride. Beni lands on the ground and starts rolling like a keg of ale, little yelps of pain escaping his lips every now and then. Lethy laughs triumphantly, happy for her friend's success and the little weasel's downfall.

"That serves you right" she hears her sister saying as she passes him by. _Hell_ _yeah_ _it_ _does!_ When eventually their own camel passes by him, Lethy does the honorable thing - that a villain like him deserves - and spits him in the face. "Bye bye Beni!" she tells in a mocking tone, waving jestingly at him and watching him as he wipes his forehead clean with a pathetic look plastered on his face. "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen!" Derek yells over the commotion, giving Lethy a hard, proud kiss on the cheek, causing her face to break out in a bright smile, as they keep riding across the desert.

In everyone's surprise, Evie's camel proves to be the fastest one, even managing to catch up with Rick. As the two ride side by side, they exchange a couple of delightful looks and cute smiles before Evie gives a good kick at her camel which causes her to go incredibly fast. Caught off guard at first, Evie nearly falls off her ride. But even as an amateur rider she manages to outrun everyone else and get to the city first.

"Yeah!" Johnny encourages her. "Go Evie! Go!"

"Yeah! That's my sister!" Lethy yells in excitement just as Evie enters the city's grounds.

With their victory now being official, Lethy turns to Derek wearing a proud smirk. "See? I told you we were going to win" she tells him. He nearly rolls his eyes at her, smiling, and gives her a quick kiss on the lips.

At the moment, Lethy can't contain her happiness. They've finally reached Hammunaptra, they wiped the floor with those American bozos and things seem to be going rather well with Derek. Maybe now they can talk about their common issue with some prospect for success. Right now, she's more hopeful than ever.

* * *

The once deserted City of the Dead is now buzzing with life. The moment the two parties officially entered the parameters, they began working without missing a single beat. Each took a side, the Americans took the east side while the Carnahan expedition took the west, and started digging for the hidden treasures that they came here for.

Alethea's gaze cannot stay still as she walks through the ruins of Hammunaptra. It continuously travels from one pillar to the next, from one broken statue to the other, bouncing off the semi-collapsed walls like a balloon with a leak. She still can't believe that she's here! That the dream Evie and herself had been sharing for the better part of their lives has finally come true! Neither her excitement nor her happiness can be contained and they eventually break out across her face in the form of a big, bright smile.

While the rest of her crew is busy setting up, she takes it upon herself to go over to the Americans' side and collect their reward money. Hey, a thousand bucks are not an easy thing to forget about. And there was no way in hell that Alethea would miss this opportunity to bask in their opponents' humiliation even more. So she's currently waltzing through the east side of the City, Dr. Chamberlain's men running around like ants as the Egyptiologist yells orders at them in their native language. _Here's_ _my_ _money!_ Lethy thinks to herself when she notices that Henderson is there too, standing right next to the scientist.

"Do they know somethin' we don't?" she hears the blonde one saying as she slowly comes up behind them.

"They are led by a couple of women. What do they know?" says Chamberlain in a haughty voice.

Not too seconds afterwards, Lethy has thrown her dagger at him, causing his fez to become one with the wall next to his head. "Oops. Sorry Doctor. It must have slipped" she says in a mocking voice and both men turn around to stare at her in the most dumbfounded and terrified way possible. She smiles wickedly and starts advancing towards them, her steps slow and predatory and her air both arrogant and mischievous. "I came here to get our money. After all, we beat you fair and square" she says, playfully yet threateningly twisting her other blade in her hand, showing off her expert skills and the fact that she is not to be messed with at the same time. "Right?" she emphasizes her point by tossing her blade and re-catching it.

Henderson gulps uncomfortably and reaches into his pockets with trembling hands, trying to retrieve the infamous dollars for her payment. Dr. Chamberlain simply stands there in shock and stares at the young woman with both awe and fear in his eyes. "Here" Henderson mumbles as he takes out a packet of green and offers them to her with equally shivering fingers. Lethy snatches the money from his grasp and sing-songs a mocking 'thank-you' before stalking towards Mr. Chamberlain. "Don't underestimate us women, Doc" she advises him as she reaches over his shoulder to retrieve her blade, resulting in his fez falling off the wall. "Cause you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Got it?"

He simply nods in agreement, eyes barely out of their sockets. She pats him on the shoulder sympathetically and smiles lightly. "Good day gentlemen" and with these words, she's gone, counting her money and whistling to herself as she waltzes away from the two Americans.

* * *

Now Derek knows why Evelyn's siblings like to call her 'big mama'. Because, despite her gentle nature, she is quite the authoritive figure when she wants something done - and done good, most importantly. He found that out about her when she started assigning everyone jobs in order to get the excavation started. He didn't mind the work though. Derek had truly learned to both appreciate and respect the oldest Carnahan sister so he was ready to serve her in any way. Even though he'd always liked her kind personality - and the way she made his brother practically glow around her - it was her little moments of badassery that truly earned his respect and admiration. Like when she saved their asses from being hanged or when she won the race against the Americans. But he honestly didn't expect anything less from the sister of the badass goddess that had captured his heart.

Derek got the mirror duty. Basically, he is currently helping Lily, Stiles and Jonathan adjust the ancient mirrors for the sun ritual that will - presumably - unlock the secret entrance to the underground facilities. At the same time, Rick is preparing the ropes for their descend, tying them around the semi-standing columns and _deliberately_ smacking the warden with the edge of the rope each time he swings it over, causing Derek to silently chuckle to himself at the ridiculous sight. But his attention quickly changes focus when _said_ _goddess_ makes her appearance.

Her step is quick and confident as she climbs up the sandhill and approaches them, causing her hips to sway from side to side in a way that is both powerful and enticing to his eyes. Derek suddenly feels his mouth dry and his inner animal purring with want and delight as the beautiful sight catches his attention in more ways than one. He instantly forgets all about the mirrors and his eyes focus entirely on Alethea as she makes her way towards Rick and himself, waving a packet of money in the air. "Pay-day boys! Take it while it's hot!" she says cheerfully, a foxy smile upon her lips and a triumphant glimmer in her eyes.

"Oh yes!" Rick exclaims, grinning widely, before abandoning his post as well. "That's my girl. There's my little fairy godmother! Bring them here!"

"There you go!" she says before handing the money over to Rick. The latter places them upon his nose and takes a good whiff off the smell of success and gain. An all too satisfied smile adorns his lips as he points a finger at Lethy and says: "You, lady, are my new favorite person in the world!"

"Wow, thanks! Although I honestly don't know who's going to be more offended by that. Your friend here or...my sister?" she says with a cheeky smile and Derek has to hide behind his hand in order to conceal his upcoming laughter.

"She got you there brother" says Derek, unable to resist the opportunity to mess with his best friend.

"Ha ha you're both hilarious" says Rick, frowning. But then a hesitant expression crosses his face and he starts scratching the back of his neck. Derek knows that look all too well. He's going to do something really embarrassing.

"Speaking of which, would you mind handling this for a few minutes? I've gotta take care of something" _Aaanndddd_ _there it_ _is!_ Derek thinks to himself, grinning mischievously. He had noticed Rick stealing the tool kit from Burns and he was wondering when he'd make his move.

"Sure thing" Lethy assures him. "Oh, just for the record, you've also started to climb up the list of my favorite people" she adds in a hearty tone.

"Thanks Leth. I appreciate it" Rick responds.

"Unless you hurt my sister of course. 'cause then I won't think twice about kicking your arse" she warns him.

"Noted" says Rick in a serious voice, offering her a small smile of understanding before taking off.

Speaking of Evelyn, she seems to be lost in her own world, too focused on the task at hand. The couple can hear her speaking even from where they are standing. "That's a statue of Anubis" she explained to no one in particular, referring to the big canine head lying in the sand. "Its legs go deep underground. According to Bembridge scholars, that's where we'll find a secret compartment... containing the golden Book of Amun-Ra. Jonathan, you're meant to catch the sun with that" _A scientist that_ _is_ _one_ _with_ _her_ _work. That sounds like_ _an_ _accurate description of_ _the_ _Carnahan woman._

The couple watches intently as the former legionnaire approaches the beautiful librarian, nervousness coming off of him in waves, following his every step, but only being detectable by Derek's super-senses. "So, uh, what are these old mirrors for?" Rick asks.

"Ancient mirrors It's an ancient Egyptian trick. You'll see" says Evie. As if on cue, the sun hits the mirrors on that exact moment, the light finding the right angle that was needed to perform the ritual, and the earth moves between their feet, finally revealing the secret entrance they were looking for.

"Neat trick" says Derek.

"I know" says Lethy. "Hey look!" she urges him to turn his eyes back on their original target just in time to witness his best friend giving his romantic interest the gift he was holding for her. "Uh, here, this is for, uh, you. Go ahead. It's something I borrowed off our American brethren. I thought you might like it- you might need it for when you're, uh- uh, yeah"

Derek grins from ear to ear as his best friend stumbles over his words, trying his best to act cool and nonchalant when in reality he is a terrified kitten inside. Rick's chemo-signals reek from a mile away - salty nervousness mixed with sweet excitement and spicy attraction - and tingle Derek's sense of super-smell to the point of annoyance. But he doesn't mind; it's a unique experience watching his brother in arms deal with actual human emotions for a change instead of only being lead through life by his erection. He'll have to thank Evelyn Carnahan for that later.

"They look good together" the wonderful sound of his girl's voice causes Derek's ears to perk up and his eyes to land on her form.

"Yeah, they do" he agrees. "Your sister was quite the badass back there" he doesn't forget to point out as well.

Lethy smirks. "You could say that it runs in the family" she says. "Your friend is pretty amazing too"

"He is a good guy. I promise that he'll take care of her. I can vouch for that. I know Rick better than anyone else and when he cares for someone he puts his whole being into it" he says sincerely.

"Sounds like someone else I know" says Lethy in a sweetened voice, their gazes locking and a smile now showing off on Derek's face. He moves towards her, his arms instantly wrapping themselves around her waist and pulling her close to his body. The desert heat combined with their shared body heat is enough to make his blood boil. Her hands climb up his chest and eventually settle in the back of his neck, her face inching closer to his, pulled by the same irresistible magnetic force that pulls them together every time. But a moment before locking lips, Alethea pulls back and bows her head.

"What's wrong?" Derek asks to know, concern visible in his eyes and voice.

"Can we talk? About...you know what?" she whispers tentatively, looking around to make sure that nobody can hear them. Derek sighed heavily as the realization dawned on him, his own levels of anxiety now rising dangerously. "I just don't feel comfortable acting like everything is normal when there is something so big bothering me. I need to at least try and figure things out" she tells him, the turmoil clear in her chemo-signals.

Derek contemplates the options for a brief moment. He wants things to go back to normal between them. His only desire is to be with Alethea. To be able to casually talk to her, to hold her in his arms, to kiss her and give her comfort and contentment. But what if he has to reveal his secret to her in order for them to retrieve their peace and serenity? Is he really ready for something like this? Because he'll have to make that sacrifice in order for them to truly get some answers. As someone with fangs and claws, he knows better than to doubt the existence of magic and connected fates. And he knows that he'll have to make Alethea see things through his eyes both literally and figuratively in order for her to understand what's really going on. Because, as crazy as it may sound, the whole re-incarnated soulmates is actually the only theory that makes sense to him regarding how they both came to be what they are now - both as an item and individually.

 _Ah screw it,_ he thinks to himself. _This might be_ _my_ _only_ _chance at_ _something_ _that_ _is_ _worth it. At least_ _that_ _way_ _I can_ _claim that_ _I gave it_ _my_ _all_ _like_ _she_ _deserved._

"You're right. We should talk" he says and then checks around for any eavesdroppers. "But not here. When we'll be alone"

"Okay" she says.

"Some work you two are doing" Rick's voice interrupts their moment, causing them to break it off. "Sorry brother. We got distracted" Derek mumbles.

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to do these things when we'll be rich. Right now though we have treasures to dig up. So move your butts and let's go" he says before taking a hold of the rope and jumping off the edge.

"Hey! Look for bugs. I hate bugs" the warden tells him and Rick offers him an exaggerated eye-roll before disappearing into the hole.

One by one, the members of the crew followed his example and descended into the dark depths of the literal underworld.

* * *

 **Okay guys! That was** **it! As much as** **I loved writing this** **chapter, it** **was** **a** **very douzy one** **to** **deliver since I was** **dealing with** **writer's block and** **real life** **obligations for** **the** **past months.**

 **But once** **again I'd like** **to** **thank each and** **every** **single** **one** **of** **you** **who took** **the** **time** **to** **vote, comment or** **simply** **read the** **story. Your support keeps me going, it's what brightens my** **days and** **boosts my** **inspiration and** **I don't** **think the** **English dictionary has** **enough positive adverbs to** **describe just** **how grateful I am that** **I have** **you, my** **lovely readers.**

 **On a side-note please don't** **forget to** **check out** **my** **other** **stories that** **are** **available! When the** **Stars Align is** **already out** **and** **I'm working** **on** **a Billy Hargrove** **story cuz yes! I crushes on** **other** **dudes except Derek Hale surprise** **surprise. So be** **on** **the** **lookout for** **that** **too!**

 **All in** **all, don't** **forget to** **vote, comment and** **just** **be** **the** **lovely readers that** **you** **are. Love you** **all** **and** **Derek does too! #Keep_Calm_And_Have_Derek_Hale_Call_You_His_Princess**


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